These Commercial Arbitration

8/19/2019 These Commercial Arbitration

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University College of Dublin

Llm (Commercial Law) 2000-2001

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Table of Contents

Introduction........................................................................................................................................3

I. A technological revolution.........................................................................................................5

A. Definition of on-line arbitration..............................................................................................5

1) %ec,nologies t,at can be use............................................................................................../

2) C,aracteristics of on-line arbitration....................................................................................

B. Application to the arbitration process.....................................................................................7

1) %,e first stes.......................................................................................................................

2) %,e omain name roceure................................................................................................3

II. The legal evolution....................................................................................................................11

A. The arbitration agreement......................................................................................................11

1) #greement conclue by an e4c,ange of electronic messages..........................................11

2) #greement conclue on a web site...................................................................................12

B. The arbitration process..........................................................................................................13

1) Communication of information..........................................................................................15

2) %,e lace of t,e arbitration................................................................................................16

C. The consequences of arbitration............................................................................................14

1) %,e arbitration awar.........................................................................................................16

2) 4ecution of t,e awar.......................................................................................................1/

Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................16

Bibliography......................................................................................................................................17

2



Introduction

"n times were t,e '#%% conferences ,ave become ,ealines on t,e general news7 an are not only

reserve to t,e secialise news7 no one cannot be aware t,at e4c,anges ten to become global. %,isglobalisation concerns several fiels8 ,uman first of all7 t,ere is no nee anymore of a recession or a

famine to 9ustify t,e fact t,at eole cross borers: cultural of course7 many eole in t,e worl ,ave

been able to rea t,e boo; of t,e 2000 &obel ri<e in Literature 'ao =ing9ian w,ereas t,is boo; is

illegal in ,is own country: an base uon all of t,at trae. o7 many commercial isutes arise

between arties locate everyw,ere on t,e globe. %,is globalisation is surely not going to sto7 even

less to reverse7 esecially now t,at t,ere is no nee anymore to ,ysically cross borers t,an;s to

information tec,nology.

"nee7 uring t,e last years a tec,nological revolution ,ave been witnesse7 t,e one broug,t by t,e

"nternet. %,is innovation can even be consiere as t,e most imortant one since t,e iscovery of

rinting five centuries ago. %,e electronic means of communication so create ,ave been >uic;ly

aote by ractitioners7 an one of t,e main alications of t,ese innovations ,as been foun in t,e

electronic commerce as ractitioners ,ave >uic;ly been aware of t,e interest of using tec,nological

innovations in orer to romote an evelo t,eir business. +acing t,e growt, of t,e imortance of

electronic commerce7 t,ere were many reactions to aat t,e legal framewor; of business relations8 t,e

U&C"%!#L ublis,e a Moel Law on lectronic Commerce in 13317 t,e 'eneral Usage for

"nternational Digitally nsure Commerce ('U"DC) was ublis,e by t,e "nternational C,amber of

Commerce in 1332 an t,e uroean Union enacte a Directive on electronic commerce in 20005.

1 U&C"%!#L Moel Law on lectronic Commerce7 133 ,tt8??www.uncitral.org?englis,?te4ts?electcom?ml-ecomm.,tm

2 'eneral Usage for "nternational Digitally nsure Commerce7 t, &ovember

1338,tt8??www.iccwbo.org?,ome?guiec?guiec.as

5 Directive 2000?51?C of t,e uroean arliament an of t,e Council of @ Aune 2000 on certain legal asects of

information society services7 in articular electronic commerce7 in t,e "nternal Mar;et (BDirective on electronic commerceB)8

,tt8??euroa.eu.int?eur-le4?en?lif?at?2000?en500L0051.,tml

5



"n t,e normal course of aily business affairs7 isutes are often inevitable. "n t,is case7 arbitration7 t,e

reference of a isute to one or more imartial ersons for final an bining eterminationE 6 is one of

t,e main isute resolution roceures use in commercial isutes. Fuic;ly7 it s,owe its limits in

resolving isutes relating to electronic commerce7 as t,e new means of communication commonlyuse in ractice were not ta;en into account by t,e classical roceure. #lso7 ractitioners were willing

to use a roceure more aate to t,eir business. $ase on t,e classical roceure7 using t,e same

basic rinciles an c,aracteristics7 a new tye of arbitration roceure aeare t,at incororate t,e

innovations broug,t in t,e fiel of information tec,nology8 t,e roceure of on-line arbitration.

%,e iscussion of on-line arbitration ,as two ma9or t,emes. %,e first involves tec,nological issues in

orer to ;now if it is ossible in ractice to conuct an arbitration on-line. %,e secon one involves

legal issues7 as to t,e valiity of suc, roceure accoring to t,e legal framewor; of arbitration.

6 #merican #rbitration #ssociation8 ,tt8??www.ar.org?

6



I A technological revolution

#. Definition of on-line arbitration.

1) %ec,nologies t,at can be use

Many innovations t,at ,ave aeare in t,e fiel of information tec,nology uring t,e last ten years

can be use in orer to ma;e arbitration more efficient7 an esecially more convenient in resolving

isutes relating to electronic commerce.

%,e first one of t,ese innovations is t,e simlest an t,e most use8 it is t,e transmission of

information an ocuments by electronic mail7 or e-mail. %,e e-mail is similar to ostal mail as every

user ,as a ersonal aress7 but instea of using t,e ostal services to eliver it7 t,e message will travel

troug, t,e "nternet in orer to reac, t,e aressee. o it is very convenient7 as t,e message is sent

irectly an nearly instantaneously from t,e business lace. %,is asect ma;es it similar to t,e

facsimile7 but an avantage is t,at every tye of ocument7 te4t7 auio or vieo can be attac,e to an e-

mail.

Gowever7 t,e e-mail is only nearlyE instantaneous7 as it nee to ass troug, mail servers of bot, t,e

aressee an t,e aresser. Moreover7 a tec,nical failure can occur to one of t,ese servers or7 more

often7 one of t,e servers can be saturate if too many messages are sent at t,e same time7 t,en t,e

message will ta;e longer to be elivere. o7 if t,e arties want to ,ave a ialogue an e4c,ange t,eir

arguments as t,ey coul o uring a meeting or an ,earing7 suc, a ialogue can occur in a c,at room. #

c,at room is a virtual sace of iscussion7 in ractice a winow on t,e comuter screen7 t,at allows

eac, arty to tye messages from a comuter connecte to t,e networ;7 messages t,at will be

broacaste in t,e c,at room so t,at all t,e ersons in t,e room can rea t,em simultaneously on t,eir

comuter screens.

%,is tec,nology only allows t,e e4c,ange of te4t. "f t,e arties want to transmit ata via an auio or

vieo format7 t,ey can o so uring a vieo-conference8 basically7 eac, arty will sit in front of a

comuter connecte to t,e networ; an e>uie wit, a vieo camera (a web-cam) an a soun

/



e>uiment7 at least micro,one an sea;ers. ac, arty will actually see on ,is comuter screen an

,ear all t,e ot,er arties as if t,ey were all in t,e same room7 an will be able to reson to t,em t,e

same way.

+inally7 instea of e4c,anging information via t,e "nternet7 t,e arties can c,oose to ;ee t,eseinformation on t,e networ;7 on a web site. ac, arty will ,ave t,e coes neee to moify t,e content

of t,e web site7 an t,e ocuments will be store on t,is web site. %,is woul enable t,e arties to

access an moify t,e information relating to t,e isute from any comuter in t,e worl connecte to

t,e networ;.

! C,aracteristics of on-line arbitration

%,e use of t,ese tec,nological means uring t,e arbitration rocess enables a lot of savings.

%,e most imortant oint is t,at it saves time7 w,at is a recious value for ractitioners. "nee7 t,e

arties o not ,ave to travel to t,e meetings an ,earings. "t is easier t,en to organise t,ese meetings

an ,earings as it will ta;e less time to t,e arties an arbitrators to get t,ere8 it woul t,en be easier to

agree on a ate. "f any ocument is neee uring a meeting7 every articiant will receive it

instantaneously. Moreover7 as t,e communication of any tye of ocument is muc, faster t,an wit, t,e

traitional ways7 t,e elays usually grante to get t,e leaings an ieces of eviences can be

s,ortene.

#lso7 it will save money. %,e arties will not ,ave to ay t,e transortation an stay e4enses for

t,emselves an for t,e arbitrators t,at are usually sent uring meetings or ,earings. %,ey will also

save t,e ostal e4enses.

Gowever7 using tec,nological means uring t,e arbitration rocess can frig,ten many ractitioners. o7

t,e main issue w,en ealing wit, t,ese tec,nologies is to ensure t,e security an t,e confientiality of

t,e arbitration rocess. "nee7 t,e networ; is oen to ublic access an many eole coul so access

an alter confiential information. %,e content of ocuments can be moifie7 by frau or by accient7

wit,out any recor of suc, moification. Goefully t,ere are some tec,nical solutions in orer to

reuce t,is ris; an to ma;e on-line arbitrations aut,enticate an fully rivate.



%,e tec,nology of encrytion can be very ,elful to t,at urose. ncrytion is t,e encoing of ata

t,an;s to mat,ematical formulas7 an it aims to secure t,e transmission of ata t,roug, t,e networ;

from outsie intercetion. "t can be use in ifferent ways8 t,e electronic message can be fully

encryte7 so basically use a secret coe ;nown only by t,e arties7 an it can inclue a igital

signature t,at woul certify t,at t,e message was actually sent by t,e sener an ,as not been altereuring t,e transmission. lectronic messages as well as vieos can be encryte.

%,en7 every mail software suc, as Outloo; or Lotus &otes enables t,e sener to get a recor of t,e

emission an of t,e recetion of ,is electronic messages. "n orer to get a more official recor of suc,

messages7 some servers alreay rovie a service >uite similar to t,e ostal one in orer to certify t,at

an electronic message ,as been sent to t,e reciient at a recise ate. %,e message will be sent from t,e

web site t,at will ;ee a recor of it/.

#lso7 t,e arties can c,oose a secure c,at room networ; w,ere messages are e4c,ange between t,e

two arties t,roug, a irect lin;7 from eer to eerE as t,e system use by t,e "nternet !elay C,at7

rat,er t,an e4c,anging t,ese messages from a latform base in t,e networ;7 system t,at is use by

"CF.

#lt,oug, t,ere is a ris; of intercetion7 t,ere is t,e same level of ris; t,an wit, any mean of

telecommunication8 any letter or facsimile can be intercete. Moreover7 it is far easier to lace a

micro,one in an office an t,en intercet every communication by ,one t,an to intercet an e-mail

for w,at a secific ;nowlege is re>uire. #nyway7 suc, an intercetion constitutes an offence in many

9urisictions an is ro,ibite t,e same way as t,e intercetion of ostal mail.

$. #lication to t,e arbitration rocess

1 %,e first stes

#s soon as t,ese innovations aeare in t,e fiel of information tec,nology7 ractitioners inclue

t,em in t,e arbitration rocess. #s t,e "nternet itself is mainly governe by t,e "nternet users7 t,e first

e4amles of suc, an imlementation were originate by rivate entities.

/ 4amle8 ,tt8??www.lettrerecommanee.com?



%,e first e4erimentation of on-line arbitration was t,e Hirtual Magistrate ro9ect. %,is #merican

ro9ect starte in Marc, 133 an reunite legal e4erts suc, as t,e #merican #rbitration #ssociation

an t,e Cybersace Law "nstitute. %,e aim was to ,el t,e creation of a ractice by arousing

ractitioner by its low cost. +ree resolution of t,eir isute over communications7 roerty7 tort an

contract isutes was given to all ersons w,o accete to submit t,eir case to t,e ro9ect.%,e roceure is >uite simle8 a comlaint is submitte by filing a comlaint on-line on t,e web site7

an t,e arbitrator will consier t,is comlaint. %,e sentence will t,en be islaye on t,e web site7

oen to ublic access.

Iet7 t,is ro9ect ,a a moest success8 only one re>uest lea to a sentence7 %ierney v. mail #merica

%,e Cybertribunal ro9ect starte in etember 133 an was eveloe by t,e Centre e !ec,erc,es

en Droit ublic of t,e University of Montr*al. "t was articularly interesting as it was bilingual an

ealing wit, two legal influence7 t,e Civil Law an t,e Common Law. %,e aim of t,is ro9ect was

focuse on eveloing rules of conuct in orer to aly t,em wiely to t,e on-line arbitration rocess.

"nee7 t,e Cybertribunal rules were base on t,e U&C"%!#L #rbitration !ules an t,e "CC !ules7

t,ese rules being moifie to ta;e into account t,e electronic innovations alie to t,e arbitration

rocess. %,e Cybertribunal ealt wit, isutes arising in electronic commerce7 as far as t,ey were not

of ublic nature.

%,e roceure starte w,en a arty file an alication form7 alication form t,at woul be store on

a web site esecially set u for t,is articular case. %,e following counterclaims7 ocuments an even

testimonies7 t,at ,a to be given electronically7 woul be file on t,e web site t,at was accessible only

by t,e use of a secret coe. #ll t,e electronic means of communications coul be use uring t,e

rocess. #t t,e en of t,e rocess t,e awar7 electronically signe by t,e arbitrators7 woul be

transmitte to t,e arties by encryte e-mail an oste on t,e Cybertribunal web site7 oen to ublic

access.

%,e Cybertribunal ,anle more t,an 100 isutes7 most of t,em between uroean users. %,is

success was ue to t,e fact t,at it incororate all t,e e4isting electronic means of communication to

t,e arbitration rocess7 an ,a t,e tec,nical caability to ensure t,e confientiality of t,e rocess.

%ierney v. -mail #merica7 Doc;et nJ3-00017 @ t, May 133. %,is ecision is not available yet on t,e

Hirtual Magistrate web site.

@



#fter artners,is wit, t,e uroean Commission an t,e "nternational C,amber of Commerce in

orer to emonstrate its roceure7 t,is ro9ect ene in December 1333.

+acing t,is success7 rivates comanies starte to rovie isute resolution services using an on-line

rocess. Of course t,en7 t,e isute resolution service is not free of c,arge anymore.Cybersettle.com "nc. ,as set u a comletely automate on-line system7 t,at aims to facilitate t,e

settlement of isutes for an amount of money. very arty will ,ave to enter on t,e web site t,ree

amounts t,at woul constitute an offer or a eman of settlement. %,e amounts will t,en be

automatically comare7 an if two of t,e amounts are wit,in 5K of eac, ot,er7 t,e claim will be settle

for t,e meian amount. "f not7 t,e offers an emans will not be isclose to t,e ot,er arty. %,is

service is mostly use by insurance comanies.

Clic;&settle.com is anot,er e4amle of suc, rivate comanies. "t offers t,e same ;in of settlement

rocess as Cybersettle.com "nc.7 in t,e fiel of ersonal in9uries7 wor;ers comensation claims an

ot,er tyes of monetary isutes.

+acing t,e success of e4erimental ro9ects an rivate comanies7 t,ey were no more oubt about t,e

necessity of a global an more formal arbitration roceure7 esecially in t,e fiel of information

tec,nology. uc, a roceure was t,en set u to eal w,ic, isutes on omain names.

5) %,e omain name roceure.

#t t,e beginning7 isutes involving omain names were resolve accoring to a roceure set u by

&etwor; olutions "nc. +or years7 &" en9oye a government-grante monooly over new omain

name registrations an renewals. %,is lac; of cometition was very criticise by members of t,e

"nternet community. "n resonse to t,em7 t,e "nternet Cororation for #ssigne &ames an &umbers

("C#&&) was create in 133@ by t,e U government in orer to en u t,is monooly. %,is non-rofit

cororation is now t,e main entity in c,arge of t,e omain name system management.

3



%,e "C#&& isute resolution roceure was set u after a reort of t,e "O (orl "ntellectual

roerty Organisation ) on t,e "nternet Domain &ame rocess of #ril 1333. #ccoring to t,is

roceure7 all registrars in t,e .com7 .net7 an .org to-level omains follow t,e Uniform Domain-

&ame Disute-!esolution olicy (UD!). Uner t,is olicy7 isutes allege to arise from abusive

registrations of omain names7 ;nown as cybers>uatting7 may be aresse to an arove isute-resolution service rovier. %,e "O #rbitration an Meiation Centre for t,e resolution of omain

name isutes is t,e leaing resolution service rovier in t,is area an reresents aro4imately /K

of all "C#&& cases.

et u in December 13337 t,is roceure was suose to involve ractitioners w,o were familiar wit,

t,e most recent information tec,nologies as ealing aily wit, issues on t,is same tec,nology. "n orer

to be more convenient an as aroriate as ossible to t,eir fiel of activity7 t,is roceure ,as

imlemente t,e use of recent tec,nological means at every stage of t,e rocess. %,e arties will not7

in most of cases7 ,ysically meet7 an will not even meet t,e arbitrator.

+irst7 t,e comlaint ,as to be sent to t,e isute resolution service rovier in electronic format7 by e-

mail. %,en7 once t,e rocess ,as starte7 written communications between t,e arties can be

transmitte electronically via t,e "nternet7 rovie t,at a recor of its transmission is available.

Moreover7 "O ,as set u secure on-line c,annels t,roug, w,ic, t,e arties can e4c,ange

corresonence an t,is system is even caable of roviing automatic notifications %,ere can be

,earings in e4cetional cases an t,e "C#&& rules e4ressly rovie t,at suc, ,earings can be mae

by vieo conference t,roug, t,e "nternet. +inally7 t,e ecision will be ublis,e on a ublicly

accessible web site.

#s soon as it starte7 t,is roceure was raise by ractitioners. "n 20007 17@61 cases were file an

172@ cases ,as been solve by t,e "O #rbitration an Meiation Centre. %,ese cases involve

about 607000 on-line communications. %,e success of t,is roceure is unoubtely ue to t,e fact t,at

it is very well aate to its fiel of action7 an t,at t,e ersons using it were alreay aware of

tec,nological innovations an willing to use t,em in t,e arbitration rocess.

+inal !eort of t,e "O "nternet Domain &ame rocess7 #ril 507

13337,tt8??wio2.wio.int?rocess1?reort?finalreort.,tml

10



Iet7 wit, t,e increase of electronic commerce7 more an more ractitioners will become comfortable

an use to t,ese innovations. %,is roceure can be use as a reference in orer to aat some less

secialise roceures to t,e tec,nological evolution. %,e "O alreay e4resse t,e willingness to

use its infrastructure to isute resolutions in intellectual roerty isutes wit, no relation to omain

names.

%,ere is no oubt t,at on-line arbitration is tec,nically ossible7 eit,er by introucing electronic

tec,ni>ues in a classical roceure or by conucting t,e w,ole roceure by electronic means. #

funamental issue is to ;now w,et,er suc, roceures are in accorance wit, t,e legal framewor; of

arbitration7 esecially as most of t,ese te4ts are not >uite recent. "nee7 t,ere are a lot of arbitration

re>uirements t,at may ose ifficulties w,en arbitration occurs in cybersace.

11



I. The legal evolution

%,e main legal ocuments ealing wit, arbitration are t,e 13/@ &ew-Ior; Convention on t,e

!ecognition an nforcement of +oreign #rbitral #wars (&ew-Ior; ConventionE) an t,e 13@/

U&C"%!#L Moel Law on "nternational Commercial #rbitration (U&C"%!#L Moal La4E)7

incororate in t,e "ris, legal system by t,e 133@ #rbitration #ct. #lso7 rules of institutions suc, as t,e

"nternational C,amber of Commerce ("CC !ulesE) are often use an ,ave eely insire t,e

arbitration ractice. %,is legal framewor; aims to regulate t,e arbitration rocess at every stage.

# %,e arbitration agreement

1 #greement conclue by an e4c,ange of electronic messages

#ccoring to t,e &ew-Ior; Convention an to t,e U&C"%!#L Moal Law7 t,is agreement ,as to be in

writing. "f it is not mae in writing7 t,ese te4ts will not aly to t,e arbitration rocess. %,e >uestion is

to ;now w,et,er an agreement in t,e electronic form can be consiere as written.

#rticle "" of t,e &ew-Ior; Convention rovies t,at an agreement will be consiere as written w,en

it contains in an e4c,ange of letters or telegramsE. %,is rovision can be construe as consiering an

e4c,ange of electronic messages as a written agreement7 as t,is tye of messages seems similar to an

e4c,ange of telegrams8 t,e aut,entication of t,e sener can be ensure as well by t,e use of encrytion.

Moreover7 a recor of t,e emission an of t,e recetion of an electronic message can be rovie eit,er

by t,e mail software or by t,e reorting web site t,at ,as been use. uc, a reorte e-mail ,as alreay

been amitte into evience at a criminal trial@.

%,is last oint is articularly relevant as t,e more recent U&C"%!#L Moal Law is more recise. "ts

article (2) rovies t,at a written agreement can be forme by any means of telecommunication

w,ic, rovies a recorE. %,en7 an arbitration agreement coul be forme by an e4c,ange of electronic

@ Unite tates v. ointe4ter7 Crim nJ @@00@017 DDC 1330.

12



messages7 an t,e woring of t,e Moal Law seems to enable t,e aatation to any future

tec,nological innovation in t,is fiel. ome nationals laws7 as t,e wiss rivate "nternational Law #ct7

rovie as suc,.

6) #greement conclue on a web site

%,is issue arises w,en a commercial contract is conclue on a web site. "n ractice7 t,e offer will be

resente on t,e web site7 t,en t,e accetor will comlete certain blan; fiels an clic; on an accetE

button. %,e ris; is t,at t,e accetor i not realise t,at7 by acceting t,e commercial contract7 ,e

accete t,e arbitration clause t,at ,e sometimes i not even notice. %,ere is even a greater ris; w,en

t,e arbitration clause is not containe in t,is contract but t,e contract refers to suc, a clause an

incororates it.

+or t,is tye of contract7 an analogy can be mae wit, t,e regime of t,e arbitration clauses containe in

general terms an conitions of sales to w,ic, t,e contract refers to. "n t,is case7 in orer for t,e

arbitration clause to be vali7 t,ere must be a clear reference to t,e e4istence of an arbitration clause in

t,e contract. %,en7 it must be evience t,at t,e arties accete t,e incororation of t,is clause to t,e

contract. "f not7 t,e agreement will not be vali because of a lac; of informe consent3.

%,is conition will be strictly e4amine7 esecially if one of t,e arties is a consumer. "nee7 in t,e

uroean Union7 istance contracts are regulate by a 133 Directive 107 t,at can be comlete by a

1335 Directive on unfair terms11. #ccoring to t,is te4t7 t,e clause t,at causes a significant imbalance

in t,e artiesB rig,ts an obligations arising uner t,e contract7 to t,e etriment of t,e consumerE will

be consiere as voi7 suc, a rovision being manatory w,atever w,ic, law is alicable to t,e

contract. o7 it woul be referable for t,e arties to rovie t,at t,e accetance will be confirme7 by

a confirmation clic; or t,e emission of a confirmation e-mail for e4amle.

3 Civ. 1Nre

7 2t,

Aune 13307 !ev. #rb.7 1331.231.

10 Directive 3??C of t,e uroean arliament an of t,e Council of 20 May 133 on t,e rotection of consumers in

resect of istance contracts8 ,tt8??euroa.eu.int?eur-le4?en?lif?at?133?en53L000.,tml

11 Council Directive 35?15?C of / #ril 1335 on unfair terms in consumer contracts8 ,tt8??euroa.eu.int?eur-

le4?en?lif?at?1335?en535L0015.,tml

15



16



C. %,e arbitration rocess

1 Communication of information

On t,is issue7 t,e funamental concet is t,e arty autonomy8 t,e arties can agree to accet or e4clue

any mean of communication uring t,e rocess. "f t,e arties ,ave not one so7 t,e arbitrator can

ecie on ,is own.

"f t,e arties or t,e arbitrator c,oose to refer to institutional rules as to t,e rules t,at s,oul aly to t,e

rocess7 a secial care s,oul be given as some of t,ese rules only contemlate written ocuments.

Gowever7 some institutional rules give t,e ossibility to use electronic means of communication8 sooes article 5(2) of t,e "CC !ules t,at rovies t,at t,e arties can use means of telecommunication

t,at rovies a recor of t,e seningE. "f t,e institutional rules o not contemlate t,is ossibility7 t,e

arties can o so in a searate agreement7 overriing t,e c,osen rules on t,is oint.

#lso7 very few institutional rules contemlate t,e ossibility to use electronic means of communication

uring t,e ,earings. #rticle 21 of t,e "CC !ules rovies t,at t,e arties s,all aear in erson at t,e

,earings7 woring w,ic, seems to e4clue t,e case of a vieo-conference. #gain7 in ractice7 t,e

arbitrator may rule t,at electronic means of communication will be use7 if t,e arties agree so.

During t,e eliberations7 t,e arbitrators can communicate by electronic means. %,e wiss ureme

Court rule in 13@/ t,at t,e arbitrators nee not to meet in erson an can conuct eliberations by

electronic means12. %,is ecision was base on t,e former wiss rivate "nternational Law #ct7 t,e

Concorat sur l#rbitrage7 so t,is sentence s,oul be alicable to arbitrations conucte uner t,e

same regime. Gowever7 some institutional rules can e4clue t,e use of electronic means in t,e

eliberations . "n t,is case as well7 t,e arties nee a searate agreement to overrie t,is rule.

12 oci*t* . v. oci*t* .7 1Nre Cour Civile7 25 octobre 13@/.

1/



/) %,e lace of t,e arbitration

%,is issue is very imortant as to t,e conse>uences t,ereof. "nee7 t,e law alicable to t,e arbitration

roceure will usually be t,e law of t,e lace w,ere t,e arbitration too; lace. %,is is w,at is rovie

by article 1(2) of t,e U&C"%!#L Moal Law. %,e oint is t,at w,en t,e arbitration is conucte by

electronic means7 t,ere is no geogra,ical lace of arbitration. #s an #merican 9ournalist wrote about

cybersace7 t,ere is no t,ere t,ereE15.

Most of arbitration rules7 suc, as article 16 of t,e "CC !ules7 rovie t,at t,e arties are free to agree

uon t,e lace of arbitration. %,e arties can agree to refer to t,e lace w,ere t,e arbitrator is7 or to t,e

lace w,ere t,e server on w,ic, t,e arbitration rocess is conucte is locate for e4amle. %,e lace

of arbitration woul t,en be fictive7 esecially if several arbitrators or servers are involve in t,e

arbitration rocess. #lso7 it must be t,en amitte t,at t,e legal lace of arbitration ,as no material lin;

to t,e lace w,ere t,e arbitration rocess actually ta;es lace.

Gowever7 t,e concet of a non localise arbitration will robably not be amitte7 as national courts

will not fin it comatible wit, t,e &ew Ior; Convention. %,e less artificial solution seems t,en to be

t,e free c,oice of t,e arties7 event if t,e material lin; is fictive.

D. %,e conse>uences of arbitration

1 %,e arbitration awar

#ccoring to article "H of t,e &ew-Ior; Convention7 t,e awar ,as to be uly aut,enticateE. #rticle

51 of t,e U&C"%!#L Moal Law is more recise an rovies t,at t,e awar ,as to be written an

signe by t,e arbitrator. #gain7 no recision is given by t,ese legal te4ts as to t,e electronic format7 so

t,ey are usually construe in a way suc, t,at t,e electronic format is e4clue.

15 !&"C8 Cybertort t,e new ra.

1



Concerning t,e signature7 some countries now consier t,at an electronic signature ,as t,e same legal

effect as an ,an-written signature. %,is is t,e case in 'ermany since 133 16. +ollowing t,is e4amle7

t,e uroean Union ,as enacte in 1333 a Directive on electronic signatures1/ t,at aims t,is same legal

e>uality. "n "relan7 t,is Directive was imlemente in 2000 w,en t,e lectronic Commerce #ct was

enacte

1

. %,is #ct rovies t,at w,en a signature is re>uire7 an electronic signature can be use. #st,e irective ,as to be imlemente by t,e Member tates before t,e 13 t, Auly 20017 t,ere is no oubt

t,at t,e legal recognition of electronic signatures will soon be ac,ieve all over t,e uroean Union.

+rom a wier oint of view7 at t,e en of an arbitration conucte by t,e "O7 t,e awar will be

signe by t,e arbitrators electronically.

%,en7 a notice of t,e awar will be given to t,e arties. #t t,is stage7 security ,as to be articularly

ta;en into account7 as t,e awar must not ,ave been moifie before t,is notice. %,is is w,y many

te4ts7 suc, as article 51(6) of t,e U&C"%!#L Moal Law7 rovie t,at t,e sentence will be notifie to

t,e arties by sening t,e original awar signe by t,e arbitrators7 w,at seeme to e4clue t,erefore

t,at suc, a notification can be one by t,e use of electronic means.

) 4ecution of t,e awar.

"n orer for t,e awar to be e4ecute by t,e national courts7 t,e original of t,e awar or a uly certifie

coy of it is usually emane. #rticle "H of t,e &ew-Ior; Convention an article 5/(2) of t,e

U&C"%!#L Moal Law rovie as suc,.

Gowever7 a solution can be foun in t,e 133 U&C"%!#L Moel Law on lectronic Commerce.

"nee7 its article @ rovies t,at a ocument can be consiere as an original if two conitions are

fulfille8 t,ere must be a reliable assurance as to t,e integrity of t,e informationE an t,is information

must be caable of being islaye to t,e erson to w,om it is to be resenteE. %,e >uestion is now

16 "nformation an Communication ervices #ct7 22n Auly 133.

1/ Directive 1333?35?C of t,e uroean arliament an of t,e Council of 15 December 1333 on a

Community framewor; for electronic signatures8 ,tt8??euroa.eu.int?eur-

le4?en?lif?at?1333?en533L0035.,tml

1 lectronic Commerce #ct7 20008 ,tt8??www.irlgov.ie?tec?communications?comlegislation?act2-

00.f

1



to ;now w,et,er7 even if t,ese conitions are fulfille7 a national court will consiere a ocument

transmitte by an electronic mean as an original.

1@



Conclusion

%,ere is no oubt t,at t,e arbitration legal framewor; nee to aat to t,e electronic revolution as t,is

evolution7 t,an;s to its success among ractitioners7 will anyway be imlemente in t,e arbitration

rocess. "nee7 ractitioners ,ave always been more t,an willing to inclue tec,nology means t,at can

ma;e t,eir tas; easier an ,ave one so since t,e very beginning. &ow7 t,is inclusion ,as been so

commonly use t,at it ,as create customs t,at some ,ave name "e# electronica.

"n orer to aat t,e legal te4ts to t,e ractice7 national courts s,oul first construe t,e e4isting te4ts in

a wier way. %,e "nternet ,as s,own t,at tec,nology will never sto evolving in orer to ensure a better

use an a greater efficiency. %ec,nological innovations cannot be foreseen7 so national courts must be

able to construe legal te4ts in accorance wit, t,e latest innovations. Iet7 t,is is a necessary but not

final solution as all national courts will not be able to aat t,emselves to tec,nology at t,e same

recise time.

%,en7 an ,armonise solution ,as to be foun. %,ere is no oubt t,at a moification of t,e e4isting

legal te4ts is neee. %,e oint is t,at ma;ing any moification to t,ese te4ts usually ta;es a long time7

esecially in a formal institution suc, as t,e U&C"%!#L. o7 in orer for on-line arbitration to be

commonly use7 t,e less formal institutions suc, as t,e arbitration courts or associations s,oul start to

establis, t,eir own framewor;s to regulate it7 an t,e "CC is alreay aware of t,at. # common use of

electronic means of communication by t,e arbitration institutions woul certainly reassure some

ractitioners t,at are not familiar wit, information tec,nologies or w,o fear t,e ris;s broug,t by t,e

"nternet. %,en7 on-line arbitration will robably become t,e common roceure an arbitration will

,ave finally imlemente t,e electronic revolution.

13



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21

http://dcc.syr.edu/roughjustice.htm






"nternet !essources8

- Clic;&settle.com web site7 visite t,e 1/

t,

May 20018,tt8??www.clic;nsettle.com?

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,tt8??www.cybersettle.com?

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,tt8??www.iccwibo.org?

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May 20018

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,tt8??arbiter.wio.int?omains?ine4.,tml

22

http://www.clicknsettle.com/

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http://www.clicknsettle.com/

http://www.iccwibo.org/

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Documents

These Commercial Arbitration