News and Overviews

The Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRICA, Centre) represents itself as a non-profitable international organisation set up in 1979 under the auspices of the UN Asian-African legal consultant commission (which consists of representatives of about 40 states). The CRICA’s list of arbitrators includes mainly those from the Asian-African region.

CRICA enjoys the privileges and immunities, which are granted to international organisations in Egypt. According to CRICA’s data the independence of the Centre may be illustrated by the fact that it has administered several arbitrations initiated by private persons (entities) against Egypt, other Arab states and state entities, the majority of which has been completed in favour of the claimants.

The structure of the CRICA includes:

- The Alexandria Centre for International Maritime Arbitration;

- The Alexandria Centre for International Arbitration;

- The Mediation & ADR Centre;

- The Port Said Centre for Commercial and Maritime Arbitration.


CRICA’S statistics and publications

ccording to the general statistical data of the Centre provided in its newsletters, as of October 31, 2012 the overall number of cases (including international arbitrations) administered by CRICA has reached 859. In the third quarter of 2012 parties to arbitrations were represented among others by those from the US, Kuwait, Russia, the UK, the Lebanon, Italy, Canada and Switzerland. The nationality of arbitrators has also varied. Thus, apart from Egyptian nationals, there have been arbitrators from Sweden, Germany, Jordan, the UAE, the UK and the Lebanon .

CRICA publishes arbitral awards (which have been agreed to such publications) in special collections, and participates in the publication of the Journal of Arab Arbitration.

Arbitration Rules

Updated Arbitration Rules came into force on March 1, 2011. With minor modifications the Rules mirror UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (2010).

In particular, new Rules stipulate that some important procedural decisions are to be taken by a tripartite ad hoc committee.

Thus, under Art. 12 of the Rules in the event that an arbitrator fails to act or in the event of de jure or de facto impossibility of his or her performing his or her functions, or in the event that he or she deliberately delays the commencement or the continuation of the arbitral proceedings, the said arbitrator may be removed, at the request of a party, and after giving him or her and the other party(s) the opportunity to express their views in this respect, by a decision from an impartial and independent tripartite ad hoc committee to be composed by the Centre from amongst the members of the Advisory Committee.

New Rules also confer on the CRICA some additional powers relating to arbitrator nominations in multi-party arbitrations (art. 10) and allows the Centre not to proceed with the arbitral proceedings if it manifestly lacks jurisdiction over the dispute (upon the approval of the Advisory Committee).

Lex arbitri

The Centre’s website contains the link to Law No. 27/1994 Promulgating the Law Concerning Arbitration in Civil and Commercial Matters.

06.02.2013

Specialists of Genuine Arbitration Service, Ltd. represent clients’ interests in arbitration administered by the Centre and will be happy to provide you with any possible assistance in arbitral proceedings governed by the arbitration rules of the Centre.