PCA Press Release: Signature of Cooperation Agreement between the PCA and CIAM
A cooperation agreement was concluded between the PCA and the Madrid International Arbitration Centre (CIAM) at a virtual ceremony held on 3 June 2021. The address made by the PCA Secretary-General, Hugo H. Siblesz, at the ceremony is reproduced below.
The cooperation agreement establishes a framework for the two organizations to work together towards the promotion of arbitration as a means for the peaceful settlement of international disputes.
On a practical level, under this agreement, the PCA will be able to hold hearings and meetings at CIAM’s premises, and CIAM will assist with the arrangement of local support services for such events.
The PCA has signed cooperation agreements with other arbitration institutions and international organizations worldwide. Click here for more information.
Address by the PCA Secretary-General
It is my pleasure to represent the PCA today at the signing of our cooperation agreement with the Madrid International Arbitration Centre (CIAM), which I am certain will mark the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.
As you may know, the PCA has entered into cooperation agreements with 37 other institutions around the world to promote mutual assistance and the sharing of expertise. These agreements lead to the realization of mutual benefits for the signatory institutions, expanding the accessibility of their services. They are also key tools for the promotion of alternative dispute resolution methods and contribute to a smoother functioning of the international arbitration system.
It is entirely fitting that the next chapter of the PCA’s global outreach should be with CIAM. Indeed, in recent years, Spain has attracted considerable interest among our users, and several PCA-administered proceedings have seen hearings and other meetings take place in Spain. In view of Spain’s historic position as a hub between Latin America and Europe and the growth of the PCA’s Spanish-speaking case docket, my expectation is that the interest of our users in Spain will only increase in the years to come.
Against this background, CIAM has become the natural choice for the PCA’s first cooperation agreement with a Spanish institution. Since its foundation in January 2020, CIAM has emerged as Spain’s prime centre for international arbitration. It is a testament to CIAM’s international prominence that many professionals of international prestige have agreed to collaborate in various capacities with the centre. CIAM’s resounding success at starting its operations in the midst of a global pandemic is indicative of its robustness. The PCA has noted CIAM’s commitment to innovation and excellence, which reminds it of its own development over the course of more than 120 years: from an institution focusing on inter-State arbitrations to an institution having 180 cases on its docket, ranging from inter-State cases to investor-State arbitrations to arbitrations involving multilateral organizations such as the UN and EU. It also plays a central role in the application of UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, most recently those concerning expedited proceedings.
It is our hope that this cooperation agreement may serve to showcase CIAM and its facilities and capabilities to a wider range of prospective international users, while at the same time making the PCA’s dispute resolution services more widely accessible. It is also my hope that our agreement will usher in a new era of cooperation with Spain, thus contributing to the establishment of the country’s ever-growing reputation as a hub for international dispute resolution and strengthening the PCA’s century-old relationship with the Spanish-speaking world.
The PCA looks forward to working together with CIAM towards our common objectives as reflected in the cooperation agreement. Thank you very much.
Background on the Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration is an intergovernmental organization established by the 1899 Hague Convention on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. The PCA has 122 Contracting Parties. Headquartered at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, the PCA facilitates arbitration, conciliation, fact-finding, and other dispute resolution proceedings among various combinations of States, State entities, intergovernmental organizations, and private parties. The PCA’s International Bureau is currently administering 7 inter-State disputes, 107 investor-State arbitrations and 69 under contracts or other agreements involving a state or other public entity. More information about the PCA can be found at www.pca-cpa.org.
Contact: Permanent Court of Arbitration
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