Revue - Les Cahiers de l'Arbitrage N°1-2023 - 6

EDITORIAL
to continue their representation, arbitral tribunals do not have such power. And
can they proceed, even when the sanctioned party has experienced difficulty
in finding representation? And what are the obligations of the competent legal
authorities to designate counsel where a sanctioned party is unable to obtain
representation? Again, this is essential reading for arbitration lawyers living, as we
do, in interesting times.
Ce numéro comporte également une analyse de deux décisions rendues en
matière de sanctions internationales et d'arbitrage par les juridictions françaises,
peu avant l'invasion de l'Ukraine par la Russie en 2022, par Alexandre Reynaud.
Celles-ci (i) confirment que les sanctions émanant soit de l'ONU ou de l'Union
européenne font bien partie de l'ordre public international, et (ii) que les tribunaux
arbitraux saisis de demandes aux titres de contrats faisant l'objet de telles sanctions
peuvent néanmoins se poser la question de savoir si ces sanctions les ont rendus
caducs (rendant ainsi irrecevable toute demande contractuelle) ou si, au contraire,
la caducité résulte d'événements antérieurs (la demande étant ainsi recevable,
mais en l'espèce, infondée). Enfin, l'auteur note avec approbation l'attitude de
la cour d'appel de Paris, qui a refusé de reconnaître le jugement italien ayant
déclaré caduque la clause d'arbitrage prévue par un des contrats litigieux, en
méconnaissance du principe de compétence compétence. Il concède toutefois, à
la lumière de l'affaire London Steamship, que cette approche risque de ne pas
survivre à la rencontre avec une juridiction d'un autre État membre ou la CJUE,
qui favoriserait très vraisemblablement l'application du Règlement Bruxelles I Bis
en pareil cas.
In addition to these particularly newsworthy topics, we are also happy to
include a detailed legal and practical analysis of the principal changes introduced
in the 2022 ICSID arbitration rules by Alexander Witt. The author's examination
of the practical difficulties (and procedural opportunities) which may follow from
some of the changes, in particular those aiming at greater transparency such as
the publication not only of awards but also of orders and decisions and party
submissions is of particular interest. The same is true of the provisions governing
the disclosure of third-party funding arrangements, which will likely give rise to
questions as to their practical implementation.
Last, but by no means least, we are very glad to publish a sideways look at the
US Supreme Court ruling ZF Automotive v. Luxshare by Patrick W. Pearsall and
Michael Rodriguez Martinez. The authors dispute the reasoning of the Supreme
Court, arguing that arbitral tribunals derive their authority from national law (the law
of the seat) and, where applicable, international law. Awards derive their binding
force and enforceability from national law. Tribunals cannot therefore be said not
to be " imbued " with governmental authority for the purpose of 28 U.S.C. § 1782.
Further, the authors contend, arbitral tribunals actually perform an adjudicative
role typical of state authority and the Supreme Court fails to state what more States
could do to " imbue " them with governmental authority.
In any case, the Supreme Court's decision in ZF Automotive, is by no means
the end of the story, in addition to ICSID tribunals (which may be somewhat more
" imbued " than ad hoc investment tribunals and commercial tribunals) there remains
the possibility, some day, of a multilateral investment court. Of more immediate
interest perhaps is the parties' option to choose a seat and submit their arbitration
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The Paris Journal of International Arbitration 2023‑1
Revue - Les Cahiers de l'Arbitrage N°1-2023

Table des matières de la publication Revue - Les Cahiers de l'Arbitrage N°1-2023
