Although the idea of arbitral tribunal's mandate is in everyday use in the international arbitration scholarship, it remains an elusive concept lacking any legal definition. Often associated with other notions such as the tribunal's mission, powers, authority or even jurisdiction, the meaning of arbitral tribunal's mandate remains a moving target and escapes easy classification. Yet, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, a non-compliance with the arbitral tribunal's mandate provides a basis for a challenge of the arbitral award at the post-award stage (either during setting aside proceedings or at the enforcement stage). Since the concept of the tribunal's mandate is vague, it attracts, in turn, a broad interpretation of the ground leading to a frustration of the fundamental value of arbitration - the finality of the arbitral award. It is therefore essential to determine how the national courts review arbitral awards on the basis of 'excess of mandate' and consequently in what instances they accept the argument that the tribunal acted in violation of its mandate. This study aims at recognizing the similarities and differences of the 'excess of mandate' type of challenges in selected legal systems (namely the UNCITRAL Model Law, France, England, the U.S. and the New York Convention). Looking through the eyes of what the selected legal systems consider to be an 'excess of mandate' allows us to identify common features and contributes to a better understanding of the concept of the arbitral tribunal's mandate by arbitrators, judges and legal practitioners alike. Accordingly, this research adds a building block to the definition of the tribunal's mandate.

Arbitration and International Trade in the Arab Countries by Nathalie Najjar is masterful compendium of arbitration law in the Arab countries. A true study of comparative law in the purest sense of the term, the work puts into perspective the solutions retained in the various laws concerned and highlights both their convergences and divergences. Focusing on the laws of sixteen States, the author examines international trade arbitration in the MENA region and assesses the value of these solutions in a way that seeks to guide a practice which remains extraordinarily heterogeneous. The book provides an analysis of a large number of legal sources, court decisions as well as a presentation of the attitude of the courts towards arbitration in the States studied. Traditional and modern sources of international arbitration are examined through the prism of the two requirements of international trade, freedom and safety, the same prism through which the whole law of arbitration is studied. The book thus constitutes an indispensable guide to any arbitration specialist called to work with the Arab countries, both as a practitioner and as a theoretician.

This publication contains a presentation of case laws rendered in jurisdictions having enacted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. In light of the large number of cases collected, the Commission requested a tool specifically designed to present selected information on the interpretation and application of the Model Law in a clear, concise and objective manner. This request originated the UNCITRAL Digest of Case Law on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. The purpose of the digest is to assist in the dissemination of information on the Model Law and further promote its adoption as well as its uniform interpretation and application. In addition, the digest is meant to help judges, government officials, arbitrators, practitioners and academics use more efficiently the case law relating to the UNCITRAL text.

This is a practice-oriented guide, including text, commentary, tables and index, for anyone dealing with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Over the last half-century, as UNCITRAL official, professor, arbitrator and father of the Willem C. Vis Arbitration Moot, Eric Bergsten has been at the forefront of progress in international commercial arbitration. Now, on the occasion of his eightieth birthday, the international arbitration and sales law community has gathered to honour him with this substantial collection of new essays on the many facets of the field to which he continues to bring his intellect, integrity, inquisitive nature, eye for detail, precision, and commitment to public service. Celebrating the long-standing and sustained contribution Eric Bergsten has made in international commercial law, international arbitration, and legal education, more than fifty colleagues - among them quite a few of the best-known arbitrators and arbitration academics in the world - present 45 pieces that, individually both engaging and incisive, collectively present a thorough and far-reaching account of the state of the field today, with contributions covering international sales law, commercial law, commercial arbitration, and investment arbitration. In addition, nine essays on issues in legal education mirror the great importance of the renowned Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Eric's Vienna project which has offered a life-changing experience for so many young lawyers from all over the world.