Belgrade has once again, traditionally, gathered numerous renowned names in international commercial arbitration on the occasion of the IV Belgrade Arbitration Conference that took place on 23 March 2012. After a very successful outcome of the previous conferences in the past three years and an increasing interest of international professionals in the field, the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law has gathered – with a great support from German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), GIZ Regional Open Fund for SEE, Ministry of education and science of the Republic of Serbia and Foreign Trade Court of Arbitration attached to the Serbian Chamber of Commerce – more than 300 participants from all over the world including ten distinguished international experts that served as panelists on topics related to issues of crime and ethics in international arbitration proceedings and regional and national flavor in international commercial arbitration. See Conference Program>>
The conference was opened by the Dean of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, Professor Dr. Mirko Vasiljević, who welcomed all the guests and participants, underlying the constant dedication of our Faculty to maintain organization of international scientific, academic and professional gatherings in field of arbitration, stressing its importance for the modern business age. Additionally, the Dean has also thanked the GIZ Regional Open Fund for SEE for the longstanding support they provided in the past years as well as informed all the participants that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS) and the Faculty of Law, through which DIS will officially join the team of organizers of the Belgrade Arbitration Conference. The praise went to all the other sponsors of the event that significantly contributed to a successful outcome of the Conference. Finally, the Dean has announced the V Belgrade Arbitration Conference, hoping to see all the participants from this year coming back to Belgrade in spring 2013.
Participants have also been welcomed by the Chairman of the Foreign Trade Court of Arbitration, Professor Dr. Gašo Knežević as well as the representative of the GIZ Regional Open Fund for SEE, Dr. Judith Knieper, the General Secretary of the German Institution of Arbitration Jens Bredow and Ms. Milena Djordjević – the Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the Belgrade Arbitration Conference.

After the session of 2012 has officially been opened, the first panel of the Conference focused on crime and ethics in international commercial arbitration. The chairman of the panel, Dr. Stephan Wilske, reputable German arbitrator and attorney, lecturer on several German Universities (including the well-known University of Heidelberg) and partner in the Law Office Gleiss-Lutz from Stuttgart. Dr. Daniel Busse, professor at the University of Giessen and partner in Allen&Overy from Frankfurt has elaborated on tactical challenges posed before the counsels in international commercial arbitration proceedings. Second panelist of the day, Ms Barbara Helene Steindl focused on remedies provided by UNIDROIT principles from 2010 as well as the IBA Rules on Taking of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration that are provided to the parties when crime-related issues arise in the course of the proceedings. Following this presentation, the participants had the chance to hear Lisa Beisteiner, associate in Law Office Schönherr from Vienna that discussed on the concepts that tribunals can apply in dealing with guerilla tactics in international arbitration. Finally, the first panel was closed by Luka Krištović-Blažević, Partner from White & Case in Paris, that dealt with issues of admissibility of evidence under dubious circumstances.

Second panel was dedicated to influence of national and regional cultures and legal traditions on the arbitration laws. Esteemed professor from University of Queen Mary London, Loukas Mistelis, served as the moderator of the second panel introducing some of the specificities of international commercial arbitration in Europe. Following the opening presentation, panelists of the second session introduced national peculiarities of arbitration proceedings and national legislation, including the presentations on Austrian arbitration – presented by Franz Schwarz, Partner in WilmerHale Law Office from London, German arbitration – by Torsten Lörcher, Partner in CMS Cologne, Italian arbitration by Benedetta Coppo from Milan Chamber of Arbitration while Serbian perspective on arbitration was presented by Prof. Dr. Maja Stanivuković from the University of Novi Sad Faculty of Law.

Having in mind that the presentations delivered at the Conference followed very closely on emerging trends in international commercial arbitration, the discussions were vivid and very active – engaging all the participants of the event, while the closing ceremony was organized as a cocktail on the same night in the Bonafides Lounge (El Derecho).

The emerging topics, numerous participants and general interest raised by the Belgrade Arbitration Conference this year was only a  great link the chain of  successful events on international commercial arbitration that take place every spring at the Faculty of Law University of Belgrade. The success and significance of the Belgrade Arbitration Conferences so far has been stressed recently by the renowned German journal IPRAX, while the famous Judge from Munich Karl Puszkajler has specifically mentioned the hospitality of the organizers and the friendly atmosphere that dominate the Belgrade academic events of this type. Accordingly, in the view of many foreign experts, the Belgrade Arbitration Conference is turning into a “not-to-be-missed” event in the calendars of international arbitration events.

The organizing of the Conference was supported by the law offices White&Case from Paris, WilmerHale from London as well as Belgrade law offices: Karanović-Nikolić, Bojović-Dašić-Kojović, Moravčević-Vojnović-Zdravković in cooperation with Schönherr from Vienna, CMS Belgrade, as well as the Tourist Organization of Belgrade, The City Hall while the  international media coverage was provided by the Amcham in Serbia, London Charter Institute of Arbitrators, UNICTRAL, Queen Mary School of International Arbitration, Austrian arbitration association ArbAut as well as the arbitration centers of Milan and Vienna.

Photo Gallery from the Conference >>

Conference Proceedings >>