Invitation from the Congress Chair

It is with tremendous pleasure that we invite you to attend the XXVth Congress of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) which will be held in Edinburgh from 18-21 September 2022.

The International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) is a worldwide nongovernmental organisation (NGO) devoted to promoting the use and improving the processes of arbitration, conciliation and other forms of resolving international commercial disputes. Its activities include convening international arbitration congresses, sponsoring authoritative dispute resolution publications and promoting the harmonisation of arbitration and conciliation rules, laws, procedures and standards.

An ICCA Congress is held every second year for the presentation and discussion of papers on different aspects of international dispute resolution. These meetings attract a large number of participants from all parts of the world and have made significant contributions to the development of dispute resolution theory and practice. The first ICCA Congress took place in Paris in 1961.

Scotland is one of the oldest nations in Europe, and yet many businesses and even some arbitration practitioners do not fully appreciate that Scotland offers a neutral UK alternative which bridges the gap between common law and civil law jurisdictions. Whilst Scotland is regarded as a common law jurisdiction, it has its roots in Roman-Dutch law and has developed separately from the law of England and Wales. The arbitration system is adversarial in nature, but there are key differences in the procedures adopted in Scotland which make it more sympathetic to civil law jurisdictions. With no appeal available to the UK Supreme Court in London, the system of arbitration in Scotland is truly independent and neutral.

Edinburgh, Scotland’s ancient capital, has been voted the most attractive place in the UK to live and work. It is a compact and walkable city, boasting a wealth of medieval and Georgian architecture.