Arbitration Team Coffee Break
January 2024NEWS
Gruppo Officine Piccini v. Cameroon (ICSID Case No. ARB/23/21)
In mid-May 2023, the Italian building company Gruppo Officine Piccini brought a claim against Cameroon under the Italian-Cameroon BIT and the ICSID Convention.
On 23 December 2023 ICSID’s Administrative Council appointed Mr Mathias Scherer as chair of the Arbitral Tribunal, completing the arbitration panel (which also includes prof. Andrea Bjorklund, also appointed by the ICSID’s Administrative Council, and Mr Constantine Partasides, appointed by Piccini).
The subject matter of the claim is still unknown.
Another Arbitration Proceeding is already pending between the same parties. It was initiated by Piccini in 2022 before the ICC. Piccini claimed Cameroon unlawfully terminated a contract for the construction of a stadium and sports complex in Yaoundé.
New Law on Outer Space announced by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy
On 5 December 2023, during the New Space Economy European Expoforum held in Rome between 5 and 7 December 2023, the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy Urso announced that in 2024 Italy will adopt a new law regulating activities in Outer Space. The contents of the draft proposal are not yet known, but this is good news for companies operating in the space sector (which are numerous, making Italy the sixth country in the world for commercial space activities) which will soon have a law regulating the sector. It’s also good news for us space enthusiasts. We already highlighted – in a “good-to-know” published in this newsletter – the lack of legislation regulating space activities and the consequences in the international context.
For more information click here.
EVENTS
IX AIA-CAM Pre-Moot – 1-2 February, Milan
On 1 and 2 February 2024, the Italian Association for Arbitration and the Milan Chamber of Arbitration will host the IX edition of the AIA-CAM Pre-Moot for the Vienna Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Milan. DLA Piper, as every year does, is sponsoring the event in which university teams from several countries will compete against each other’s in order to secure the first victory on the road to the Vienna final competition! Find more details here.
9th Conference on International Arbitration and the UN Convention for the International Sales of Goods, 8 February 2024, and 9th UP-GDL Pre Moot, Universidad Panamericana, Facultad de Derecho, Guadalajara, Mexico
On 8 February 2024, the Universidad Panamericana will host the 9th edition of the “Conference on International Arbitration and the UN Convention for the International Sales of Goods” in Guadalajara Mexico. The Conference labelled, “The Expansion and the Retreat in International Arbitration and the CISG,” will address issues like the addition of claims to a pending arbitration and consolidation of arbitral proceedings, information duties in international contracts and their effect on remedies under CISG and UNIDROIT principles. DLA Piper lawyer Giulia Vallar will talk in the third panel of the event dealing with “Artificial Intelligence and Internet security in international contracts and arbitration”.
Click here to view the conference program.
The day after the conference, on 9 February 2024, the 9th edition of the UP-GDL Premoot for the Vis Moot will also take place.
25th Annual IBA Arbitration Day – 22-23 February, Singapore
The International Bar Association will host its 25th Arbitration Day in Singapore on the 22 and 23 of February. Participants will discuss arbitrability and validity of arbitration proceedings and how to ensure consent to arbitrate. Registrations are open!
GOOD TO KNOW
REALogue, a Real Dialogue on racial equality in international arbitration 1st Episode: Federica Bocci interviews Mohamed S. Abdel Wahab
Listen to the 1st Episode of REALogue, a podcast series powered by R.E.A.L. – Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers in which DLA Piper counsel Federica Bocci had the honor of interviewing Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Professor of International Arbitration, Private International Law and English Contract Law at Cairo University and Founding Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Construction and Energy Groups at Zulficar & Partners Law Firm (Egypt). This thought-provoking conversation on arbitration, diversity and racial equality is a must-hear!
