Arbitration in Switzerland

***NO SALES RIGHTS IN SWITZERLAND*** This second edition of the first comprehensive commentary on the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration covers the new version of these rules which entered into force on 1 June 2012. It is a practical guide for arbitrators, counsel, state courts and persons involved in the conduct and administration of arbitral proceedings under the Swiss Rules. This commentary presents the new version of the Swiss Rules from a double perspective. On the one hand, it emphasizes the relationship between these Rules and the Swiss legal regime governing international arbitration, namely the provisions of chapter 12 of the Swiss Private International Law Statute. On the other hand, it puts these Rules in an international perspective by comparing them with the corresponding provisions of the other major institutional rules (ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIS, VIAC, SIAC, HKIAC, CIETAC, AAA/ ICDR, WIPO and ICSID) and with the provisions of the former edition of the rules. Finally, it highlights the main differences between the Swiss Rules and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules which were revised in 2010. This book is written by arbitration practitioners based in Switzerland who work with established law firms, widely experienced in international commercial arbitration. It is the work of a refreshing new generation of Swiss arbitration specialists. Two of the editors were members of the working group for the revision of the Swiss Rules and thus bring special insight into the book about the revision process.

he Swiss International Arbitration Law Reports provides for the first time a full English translation of the decisions made by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court on a biannual basis, irrespective of whether the original decision was published in the German, French or Italian language, or whether the decision has been officially published or is simply available on the Court's website. The English translation is presented in parallel to the original text of each decision, and it is preceded by a head note and a summary of the decision for the reader in a hurry. All decisions directly relating to international arbitration will be translated, including those that deal with setting aside proceedings, the enforcement of arbitration agreements or the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Switzerland under the New York Convention, 1958. Switzerland is historically one of the preferred venues for international commercial arbitration. Arbitrations taking place in Switzerland relate not only to contracts between European corporations, but also to contracts made in East-West trade or contracts between parties in the Northern and the Southern hemisphere. The most important decisions on international arbitration are made by Switzerland's highest court, the Federal Supreme Court. Anyone who needs to consider the position of the Swiss law on international arbitration is bound to consult these decisions. In addition, due to the leading role of Switzerland in international arbitration, the Court's decisions are frequently relied upon by arbitral tribunals in international arbitrations outside Switzerland.

This book expounds the theory of international arbitration law. It explains in easily accessible terms all the fundamentals of arbitration, from separability of the arbitration agreement to competence-competence over procedural autonomy, finality of the award, and many other concepts. It does so with a focus on international arbitration law and jurisprudence in Switzerland, a global leader in the field. With a broader reach than a commentary of Chapter 12 of the Swiss Private International Law Act, the discussion contains numerous references to comparative law and its developments in addition to an extensive review of the practice of international tribunals. Written by two well-known specialists - Professor Kaufmann-Kohler being one of the leading arbitrators worldwide and Professor Rigozzi one of the foremost experts in sports arbitration - the work reflects many years of experience in managing arbitral proceedings involving commercial, investment, and sports disputes. This expertise is the basis for the solutions proposed to resolve the many practical issues that may arise in the course of an arbitration. It also informs the discussion of the arbitration rules addressed in the book, from the ICC Arbitration Rules to the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration, the CAS Code, and the UNCITRAL Rules. While the book covers commercial and sports arbitrations primarily, it also applies to investment arbitrations conducted under rules other than the ICSID framework.

A convenient, neutral location, with a long-standing tradition of arbitration, arbitrationfriendly legislation, arbitration-supportive courts, and an exemplary infrastructure for all of these reasons, parties often choose Switzerland as their preferred seat of arbitration. Switzerland continues to therefore play a leading role in the field of arbitration.

For the arbitration process to achieve its purpose, there must be an interplay between arbitral tribunal and court. The purpose of this paper is to set forth in which manner this interplay is organized under Swiss law.

Based on and includes revisions to : Traité de l'arbitrage commercial international / Ph. Fouchard, E. Gaillard, B. Goldman. 1996--Cf. foreword.