Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 155 Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its 35th session, published in 2003.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Commercial Law Conciliation Dispute Settlement Guidelines International Trade Law Model Laws

What’s in this document?

3 operative paragraphs

Expresses its appreciation to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law for completing and adopting the Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation, the text of which is contained in the annex to the present resolution, and for preparing the Guide to Enactment and Use of the Model Law;

Requests the Secretary-General to make all efforts to ensure that the Model Law, together with its Guide to Enactment, becomes generally known and available;

Recommends that all States give due consideration to the enactment of the Model Law, in view of the desirability of uniformity of the law of dispute settlement procedures and the specific needs of international commercial conciliation practice.

Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law

Scope of application and definitions

This Law applies to international³ commercial⁴ conciliation.

³States wishing to enact this Model Law to apply to domestic as well as international conciliation may wish to consider the following changes to the text: – Delete the word “international” in paragraph 1 of article 1; and – Delete paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of article 1.

⁴The term “commercial” should be given a wide interpretation so as to cover matters arising from all relationships of a commercial nature, whether contractual or not. Relationships of a commercial nature include, but are not limited to, the following transactions: any trade transaction for the supply or exchange of goods or services; distribution agreement; commercial representation or agency; factoring; leasing; construction of works; consulting; engineering; licensing; investment; financing; banking; insurance; exploitation agreement or concession; joint venture and other forms of industrial or business cooperation; carriage of goods or passengers by air, sea, rail or road.

For the purposes of this Law, “conciliator” means a sole conciliator or two or more conciliators, as the case may be.

For the purposes of this Law, “conciliation” means a process, whether referred to by the expression conciliation, mediation or an expression of similar import, whereby parties request a third person or persons (“the conciliator”) to assist them in their attempt to reach an amicable settlement of their dispute arising out of or relating to a contractual or other legal relationship. The conciliator does not have the authority to impose upon the parties a solution to the dispute.

A conciliation is international if:

The parties to an agreement to conciliate have, at the time of the conclusion of that agreement, their places of business in different States; or

The State in which the parties have their places of business is different from either:

The State in which a substantial part of the obligations of the commercial relationship is to be performed; or

The State with which the subject matter of the dispute is most closely connected.

For the purposes of this article:

If a party has more than one place of business, the place of business is that which has the closest relationship to the agreement to conciliate;

If a party does not have a place of business, reference is to be made to the habitual residence of the party.

This Law also applies to a commercial conciliation when the parties agree that the conciliation is international or agree to the applicability of this Law.

The parties are free to agree to exclude the applicability of this Law.

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9of this article, this Law applies irrespective of the basis upon which the conciliation is carried out, including agreement between the parties whether reached before or after a dispute has arisen, an obligation established by law, or a direction or suggestion of a court, arbitral tribunal or competent governmental entity.

This Law does not apply to:

Cases where a judge or an arbitrator, in the course of judicial or arbitral proceedings, attempts to facilitate a settlement; and

[...].

Interpretation

In the interpretation of this Law, regard is to be had to its international origin and to the need to promote uniformity in its application and the observance of good faith.

Questions concerning matters governed by this Law which are not expressly settled in it are to be settled in conformity with the general principles on which this Law is based.

Variation by agreement

Except for the provisions of article 2 and article 6, paragraph3, the parties may agree to exclude or vary any of the provisions of this Law.

Commencement of conciliation proceedings

Conciliation proceedings in respect of a dispute that has arisen commence on the day on which the parties to that dispute agree to engage in conciliation proceedings.

If a party that invited another party to conciliate does not receive an acceptance of the invitation within thirty days from the day on which the invitation was sent, or within such other period of time as specified in the invitation, the party may elect to treat this as a rejection of the invitation to conciliate.

Number and appointment of conciliators

There shall be one conciliator, unless the parties agree that there shall be two or more conciliators.

The parties shall endeavour to reach agreement on a conciliator or conciliators, unless a different procedure for their appointment has been agreed upon.

Parties may seek the assistance of an institution or person in connection with the appointment of conciliators. In particular:

A party may request such an institution or person to recommend suitable persons to act as conciliator; or

The parties may agree that the appointment of one or more conciliators be made directly by such an institution or person.

In recommending or appointing individuals to act as conciliator, the institution or person shall have regard to such considerations as are likely to secure the appointment of an independent and impartial conciliator and, where appropriate, shall take into account the advisability of appointing a conciliator of a nationality other than the nationalities of the parties.

When a person is approached in connection with his or her possible appointment as conciliator, he or she shall disclose any circumstances likely to give rise to justifiable doubts as to his or her impartiality or independence. A conciliator, from the time of his or her appointment and throughout the conciliation proceedings, shall without delay disclose any such circumstances to the parties unless they have already been informed of them by him or her.

Conduct of conciliation

The parties are free to agree, by reference to a set of rules or otherwise, on the manner in which the conciliation is to be conducted.

Failing agreement on the manner in which the conciliation is to be conducted, the conciliator may conduct the conciliation proceedings in such a manner as the conciliator considers appropriate, taking into account the circumstances of the case, any wishes that the parties may express and the need for a speedy settlement of the dispute.

In any case, in conducting the proceedings, the conciliator shall seek to maintain fair treatment of the parties and, in so doing, shall take into account the circumstances of the case.

The conciliator may, at any stage of the conciliation proceedings, make proposals for a settlement of the dispute.

Communication between conciliator and parties

The conciliator may meet or communicate with the parties together or with each of them separately.

Disclosure of information

When the conciliator receives information concerning the dispute from a party, the conciliator may disclose the substance of that information to any other party to the conciliation. However, when a party gives any information to the conciliator, subject to a specific condition that it be kept confidential, that information shall not be disclosed to any other party to the conciliation.

Confidentiality

Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, all information relating to the conciliation proceedings shall be kept confidential, except where disclosure is required under the law or for the purposes of implementation or enforcement of a settlement agreement.

Admissibility of evidence in other proceedings

A party to the conciliation proceedings, the conciliator and any third person, including those involved in the administration of the conciliation proceedings, shall not in arbitral, judicial or similar proceedings rely on, introduce as evidence or give testimony or evidence regarding any of the following:

An invitation by a party to engage in conciliation proceedings or the fact that a party was willing to participate in conciliation proceedings;

Views expressed or suggestions made by a party in the conciliation in respect of a possible settlement of the dispute;

Statements or admissions made by a party in the course of the conciliation proceedings;

Proposals made by the conciliator;

The fact that a party had indicated its willingness to accept a proposal for settlement made by the conciliator;

A document prepared solely for purposes of the conciliation proceedings.

Paragraph 1 of this article applies irrespective of the form of the information or evidence referred to therein.

The disclosure of the information referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall not be ordered by an arbitral tribunal, court or other competent governmental authority and, if such information is offered as evidence in contravention of paragraph 1 of this article, that evidence shall be treated as inadmissible. Nevertheless, such information may be disclosed or admitted in evidence to the extent required under the law or for the purposes of implementation or enforcement of a settlement agreement.

The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this article apply whether or not the arbitral, judicial or similar proceedings relate to the dispute that is or was the subject matter of the conciliation proceedings.

Subject to the limitations of paragraph 1 of this article, evidence that is otherwise admissible in arbitral or judicial or similar proceedings does not become inadmissible as a consequence of having been used in a conciliation.

Termination of conciliation proceedings

The conciliation proceedings are terminated:

By the conclusion of a settlement agreement by the parties, on the date of the agreement;

By a declaration of the conciliator, after consultation with the parties, to the effect that further efforts at conciliation are no longer justified, on the date of the declaration;

By a declaration of the parties addressed to the conciliator to the effect that the conciliation proceedings are terminated, on the date of the declaration; or

By a declaration of a party to the other party or parties and the conciliator, if appointed, to the effect that the conciliation proceedings are terminated, on the date of the declaration.

Conciliator acting as arbitrator

Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the conciliator shall not act as an arbitrator in respect of a dispute that was or is the subject of the conciliation proceedings or in respect of another dispute that has arisen from the same contract or legal relationship or any related contract or legal relationship.

Resort to arbitral or judicial proceedings

Where the parties have agreed to conciliate and have expressly undertaken not to initiate during a specified period of time or until a specified event has occurred arbitral or judicial proceedings with respect to an existing or future dispute, such an undertaking shall be given effect by the arbitral tribunal or the court until the terms of the undertaking have been complied with, except to the extent necessary for a party, in its opinion, to preserve its rights. Initiation of such proceedings is not of itself to be regarded as a waiver of the agreement to conciliate or as a termination of the conciliation proceedings.

Enforceability of settlement agreement

If the parties conclude an agreement settling a dispute, that settlement agreement is binding and enforceable ... [the enacting State may insert a description of the method of enforcing settlement agreements or refer to provisions governing such enforcement].

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What subjects does this mandate have?

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