Introduction: Development of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules

Abstract

The U.N. Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) from the outset manifested great interest in the subject of international commercial ,rbitration, and included this subject as a priority topic in the programme of work adopted in 1968 at its first session.1 At its second session (1969) UNCITRAL appointed Ion Nestor (Romania) as Special Rapporteur and invited him to examine the most important problems in the field of international commercial arbitration.2 Mr. Nestor's thorough report,3 presented to UNCITRAL at its fifth session (1972), included the recommendation that UNCITRAL consider up a model set of arbitration rules which arbitration centers could incorporate in their own rules of procedure.4 UNCITRAL decided that the proposals by the Special Rapporteur should be transmitted to the Member States for comments.5 Most of the replies agreed that UNCITRAL should consider up a model set of arbitration rules.6 The Secretary-General's report, summarizing these replies, added that UNCITRAL might wish to consider drawing up a set of arbitration rules for world-wide use in ad hoc arbitration.7 In response to these comments and suggestions UNCITRAL in 1973 requested the Secretary-General: (a) In consultation with regional economic commissions of the United Nations and centres of international commercial arbitration, giving due consideration to the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the ECAFE Rules for In-