Following the first volume of the Czech (& Central European) Yearbook of Arbitration (CYArb), the second volume of CYArb thematically concurs that the points of friction between arbitration, as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism are the freedom parties have in setting up the methods and mechanisms for the dispute settlement, and the state organized court proceedings with its obligatory jurisdiction and strict rules. The state organized court proceedings guarantee the firm borders and equality of means regarding the protection of the fundamental rights of the parties during the proceedings. The primary focus of CYArb is the issue of autonomy throughout the arbitration process. The principle of autonomy represents the backbone of arbitration as the ADR mechanism. It provides to the parties the necessary freedom to stipulate the adequate method for the solution of the dispute. On the other hand, the autonomous approach of the parties creates an informal relationship among the subjects involved in dispute resolution. The informality provides room for the autonomy of the arbitrators or that of the arbitral tribunal, be it in ad hoc or institutional proceedings on how to advance the dispute. The CYArb project aims to highlight the (potential) pitfalls of each of the categories of the autonomous parties present during the various types of arbitral proceedings in order to analyze the role of autonomy as a leading principle in the ADR mechanisms in its mutual interaction. The topic therefore provides a wide spectrum of interesting issues to be addressed from the practice and academic points of view, particularly with regard to the comparison of the specific national and international approaches of the permanent arbitral courts. The project concept and editors are drawn from Czech Yearbook of International Law – CYIL. The ideological similarity between CYIL and CYArb is primarily reflected in its concept. The third volume of CYIL is in preparation and will be published by JURIS. The CYArb annual volume will be published exclusively in English with abstracts of the articles provided in Czech/Slovak, French, German, Polish, Russian and Spanish. The website dedicated to the project, www.czechyearbook.org is operational in a total of 16 languages. A vital part of the project is the cooperation with leading figures and institutes in the field. In the Czech Republic, endeavor has the cooperation of the particular departments of the following institutions: – University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Faculty of Law, Department of International Law & Department of Constitutional Law – Masaryk University in Brno, Faculty of Law, Department of International and European Law – VŠB – TU Ostrava, Faculty of Economics, Department of Law – Institute of State and Law, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic In the Slovak Republic: – Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Law, Department of Commercial Law Non-academic institutions participating in the CYArb Project: – International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Vienna. – Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, Bucharest. – Arbitration Court attached to the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Budapest – Arbitration Court attached to the Economic Chamberof the Czech Republic and Agricultural Chamber of the Czech Republic, Prague – Arbitration Court attached to the Czech-Moravian Commodity Exchange Kladno (Czech Republic) – ICC National Committee Czech Republic – The Court of Arbitration at the Polish Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw

The topic for the inaugural edition of the Czech (& Central European) Yearbook of Arbitration (CYArb) is a highly interdisciplinary investigation into the relationship between human rights and arbitration. While providing a broad comparative approach of national tribunals from the perspective of different legal traditions, this topic has many significant practical aspects, such as service of process in arbitration proceedings. The CYArb also features articles by leading authorities from not only the Czech Republic but also Central and Eastern Europe, Switzerland and Russia on different topics in international arbitration; The Yearbook includes commentary and analysis of selected important case law - where international arbitration and the courts meet - from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Russia. To ensure the integrity and quality of the CYArb, it boasts an Advisory Board featuring leading arbitration figures of the region, including: Anton Baier, Vienna, Austria Silvy Chernev, Sofia, Bulgaria Sir Anthony Colman, London, UK Bohuslav Klein, Prague, Czech Republic Pierre Lalive, Geneva, Switzerland Piotr Nowaczyk, Warsaw, Poland Ivan Szász, Budapest, Hungary Stanislaw Soltysiński, Warsaw, Poland Jozef Suchoža, Košice, Slovak Republic Vladimír Týč, Brno, Czech Republic A vital component of the CYArb is the unprecedented cooperation from the leading academic and arbitral institutions in the field: In the Czech Republic, this endeavor has the cooperation of the following institutions: – Faculty of Law, Charles University, Prague, – Faculty of Law, Masaryk University, Brno, – Faculty of Law, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, – Faculty of Law, Palacký University, Olomouc, – Institute of State and Law, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic In the Slovak Republic: – Institute of State and Law, Slovak Academy of Sciences, A large degree of collaboration was provided by the permanent arbitration courts and other institutions in the region: · International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (VIAC) · Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania · Arbitration Court attached to the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry · Arbitration Court attached to the Economic Chamber of the Czech Republic and Agricultural Chamber of the Czech Republic · Arbitration Court attached to the Czech-Moravian Commodity Exchange · ICC National Committee Czech Republic · The Court of Arbitration at the Polish Chamber of Commerce The degree of collaboration and cooperation from leading individuals, academic and arbitral institutions, allows the CYArb to fulfill its goal of being the leading Yearbook on arbitration developments and case law for the region.

This book addresses how the regulation of international commercial arbitrators takes place. International commercial arbitrators are a unique category of service providers because they are not organised as other professionals such as accountants, lawyers and doctors. The book provides an overview of how and why the regulation of international commercial arbitrators diverged from that of other professions. It also argues that, despite these differences, there is an effective regulatory environment overseeing the behaviour of international commercial arbitrators. The book unpicks the different elements that contribute to the creation and enforcement of professional norms in this field. It explains how the specific characteristics of the arbitral market create strong incentives for ethical norms to be created, even in the absence of the institutions that usually address these issues in other fields. It also describes how market and social forces drive arbitrators to comply with these norms in most circumstances. Finally, the book addresses the ways in which this regulatory system also explains some of the perceived weaknesses of arbitration, namely the rising costs of proceedings and the perceived unfairness of appointments.

Derived from the renowned multi-volume International Encyclopaedia of Laws, this book provides ready access to the law applied to cases involving cross border issues in the Czech Republic. It offers every lawyer dealing with questions of conflict of laws much-needed access to these conflict rules, presented clearly and concisely by a local expert. Beginning with a general introduction, the monograph goes on to discuss the choice of law technique, sources of private international law, and the relevant connection with other laws. Then follows clear description and analysis of the rules of choice of law on natural and legal persons, contractual and non-contractual obligations, movable and immovable property, intangible property rights, company law, family law (marriage, cohabitation, registered partnerships, matrimonial property, maintenance, child law), and succession law (including testamentary dispositions). The presentation concludes with an overview of relevant civil procedure, examining lex fori and issues of national and international jurisdiction, acceptability and enforcement of foreign judgements, and international arbitration. Its succinct yet scholarly nature, as well as the practical quality of the information it provides, make this book a valuable resource for lawyers handling cases in the Czech Republic. Academics and researchers, as well as judges, notaries public, marriage registrars, youth welfare officers, teachers, students, and local and public authorities will welcome this very useful guide, and will appreciate its value in the study of private international law from a comparative perspective.

A comprehensive review of the arbitration law and practice in the Czech Republic including: discussion of arbitration practice and procedure; an examination of the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal; the appointment of arbitrators including the challenge and replacement of arbitrators; an analysis of the various types of awards including a discussion on deliberations, agreements, settlements, and the costs of arbitration; a discussion on the amendment and challenge of awards including the liability of arbitrators; and, a review of the enforcement of domestic and foreign arbitration awards.

This book offers an innovative approach to the topic of liability in international arbitration, a controversial topic that has heretofore not been fully explored in the scholarship. Arbitral institutions have recently emerged as powerful actors with new functions in and outside arbitration processes. The author proposes to shift the debate on liability from arbitrators to the arbitral institutions. The book re-evaluates the orthodox understanding of the status, functions, and responsibility of arbitral institutions and is recommended for arbitration scholars, practitioners, and students. It is argued that the current regulations regarding liability are inadequate given both the contractual obligations and the emerging public function of arbitral institutions and that institutional arbitral liability is therefore necessary. The book also links the contemporary functions of arbitral institutions to recent debates regarding legitimacy challenges in international commercial arbitration. Responding to these challenges, a model of institutional contractual liability is proposed that invites arbitral institutions to proactively regulate the scope of their liability.