The Swiss Chambers of Commerce and the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) are joining forces to administer cases brought under the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration and the Swiss Rules of Mediation. The new cooperation will take effect as of January 2021. It will make dispute resolution under the Swiss Rules even more international and will benefit globally active users worldwide.
The Swiss Chambers' Arbitration Institution (SCAI) is the leading international arbitration and mediation institution in Switzerland. It has a long tradition going back to the first arbitration rules offered by Swiss cantonal chambers of commerce in the early 20th century and is strongly rooted in the Swiss economy. With the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration, the Swiss Rules of Mediation, and the new Rules of Mediation Procedure for Financial Services Disputes, SCAI offers high quality services for the resolution of international and domestic disputes. Due to the quality of the Swiss Rules and the reputation of Switzerland as a neutral, reliable and arbitration-friendly venue, the Swiss Chambers' arbitration services have since long been sought after internationally. A full 90% of SCAI’s cases involve at least one foreign party. Increasingly, the Swiss Rules are also chosen in combination with a seat abroad.
The Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) has an excellent reputation for its international thought leadership, not least for its flagship winter conferences on topical issues, its international training programs, the ASA Bulletin and Special Series, and its policy statements. Its more than 1,000 members include arbitration practitioners from around the world.
While ASA and the Swiss Chambers have traditionally collaborated in the past, they are enthusiastic to join forces in order to boost outreach and to reinforce and tailor the services of SCAI, particularly for internationally active users. Under the new structure of SCAI, which involves its conversion into a joint-stock company, the Swiss Chambers will retain 49% of the shares and ASA will become majority shareholder. As one of its many activities in the support of arbitration in Switzerland and abroad, ASA will assume responsibility for SCAI together with the Swiss Chambers, and will add its internationally recognized brand, its valuable know-how and its resources to the joint venture.
Existing SCAI dispute resolution clauses will of course remain intact and fully operative and it goes without saying that the Arbitration Court and the Secretariat will continue to provide services to its users of the highest level of quality. The new cooperation will further increase the excellent quality of SCAI's services and its standing as one of the leading arbitration and ADR institutions.
SCAI President Regine Sauter comments: "We are happy about combining the complementary strengths of the Swiss Chambers and ASA. This is good news for dispute resolution under the Swiss Rules in Switzerland and abroad."
ASA President Felix Dasser comments: "This partnership between the Swiss Chambers of Commerce and ASA marks an important step in further strengthening Switzerland’s offering as a user-focused arbitration venue in a neutral and politically stable environment."
