The Institute for the Promotion of Arbitration and Mediation in the Mediterranean (ISPRAMED) created a network among the Mediterranean Arbitral Centres in order to define common principles for the administration of arbitral procedures. The Network includes the Centre for Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation of the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACI), the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) , the Arbitration Court of Morocco (CMA), the Milan Chamber of Arbitration (CAM), the Tunis Mediation and Arbitration Centre and the Arbitration Department (CCAT), Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO).
On 28 April 2012, CRCICA hosted the Third Official ISPRAMED’s Network Meeting. CAM of Italy, ITO of Turkey, CRCICA of Egypt, CACI of Algeria were in attendance as members of the network, the Lebanese Arbitration Centre as observer and finally, Prof. Charles Jarosson of France attended as ISPRAMED’s Network Coordinator.
ISPRAMED collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM) – to promote arbitration in the region especially for the benefit of SMEs – were one of the most important points of discussion. Within this context, ISPRAMED presented to the UFM the project “Strengthening Arbitration in the Mediterranean Region” which is designed to promote arbitration in the region. Beside promoters of other projects, ISPRAMED participated in two meetings in Barcelona-Spain and received positive feedbacks from the ICC and the ICSID. In the coming phase, ISPRAMED will be finalizing the project in consultation with members of the Network and in partnership with ICC and ICSID.
Other businesses discussed are related to the main objective of the Network. This is the elaboration and adoption of common principles on selected themes which are: Independence/impartiality; criteria for selection of the arbitrators; time of the arbitral proceedings; costs of the arbitral proceedings; confidentiality; transparency of the decision making process. The theme currently under scrutiny is Independence and Impartiality of Arbitrators.
The final outcome of this work is expected to be a practical guide (guidebook/handbook) for arbitrators, parties and their counsels. The handbook will report, in relation to each theme above mentioned, the common position and practice that the Centres will adopt in their everyday work.
The fourth meeting was scheduled to take place in Istanbul in March/April 2013. Replicating the Cairo formula, members suggested coupling the meeting with a conference under the possible topic “Costs in Arbitration”.
