This March Belgrade has yet again been the center of gathering of numerous renowned experts in the field of international commercial arbitration. Namely, on 15 March 2013 the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law has hosted the fifth Belgrade Arbitration Conference, an event which has now grown into a tradition. After a very successful outcome of the previous conferences in the past four years and an increasing interest of international professionals in the field, the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law has co-organized this year’s conference with the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), GIZ Regional Open Fund for SEE and the Center for International Legal Education of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. The organization of the conference was generously supported by the numerous law firms: Moravčević, Vojnović and partners in cooperation with Schoenherr, Karanović-Nikolić, BDK Attorneys, CMS Belgrade, Wilmer Hale, White & Case, Hogan Lovells. The work of the conference was endorsed by UNCITRAL, Queen Mary School of International Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia. The conference gathered more than 300 participants from 30 different countries, and eleven esteemed panelists, renowned practitioners and professors from the filed of arbitration law, discussed the theoretic and practical implications of the current issues of international commercial arbitration (see Conference Program).

The opening ceremony begun with the words from the vice-dean of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in charge of scientific work, Professor Dr. Slobodan Marković, who reminded the participants of the success of the previous conferences and expressed his satisfaction at the fact that the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law is organizing again such a prestigious event. On behalf of the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), the new co-organizer of the Belgrade Arbitration Conference, the participants of the conference were welcomed by Professor Dr. Klaus Peter Berger, Chairman of the Board of DIS. Professor Berger conveyed his feeling of honor because of the participation of the DIS in the organization of this year’s Belgrade Arbitration Conference. He expressed his hope that the cooperation between the DIS and the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law shall be long-lasting and fruitful. In the name of the traditional partner of our Faculty in the organization of the Belgrade Arbitration Conference, GIZ Open Regional Fund for SEE, Dr. Judith Knieper took the floor. Dr. Knieper talked about the development of the idea of organizing this event and called upon new partners to join the organizing team, since GIZ is progressively moving out due to the fact that the project which enabled the financial support of the Open Regional Fund to the organization of the Belgrade Arbitration Conference is to end. Finally, on behalf of the Center for International Legal Education of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Professor Ronald Brand addressed the participants. Professor Brand shared his satisfaction because of the increasing interest that the Belgrade Arbitration Conference is attracting and the long lasting fruitful cooperation with University of Belgrade. Via video-link Ms. Monica Canafoglia of UNCITRAL wished to the participants a successful conference, emphasizing the importance of the topics that are annually covered at this event.

The topics of the conference were divided into two panels: the first one, chaired by Professor Dr. Klaus Peter Berger, focused on the tension between due process and efficiency in international arbitration, while the second, chaired by Professor Loukas Mistelis, discussed the problems of the taking of evidence in international commercial arbitration. The panelists in the first session were Mr. Franz Schwarz, partner at Wilmer Hale in London, Dr. Judith Knieper of GIZ and Mr. Karl Poernbacher, partner at Hogal Lovells in Munich. The panelists in the second session were Ms. Nataša Lalatović, attorney at Moravčević, Vojnović and partners in cooperation with Schoenherr, Mr. Luka Krištović Blažević, associate at White & Case in Paris, Dr. Tijana Kojović, partner at BDK attorneys and Mag. Daniela Karollus-Brunner, partner at CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz in Vienna. Furthermore, during the conference two UNCITRAL digests were presented: UNCITRAL Digest on Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration by Dr. Stefan Kröll, honorary professor at the Buccerius University in Hambuer, and UNCITRAL Digest on United Nations Convention on the International Sale of Goods by Prof. Harry Flechtner from University of Pittsburgh School of Law. The high quality of the Conference was confirmed by lengthy debates after each panel, which were continued in the Faculty lounge El Derecho during the cocktail organized on the occasion of this event.

As in the previous years, the organizing committee of this year’s arbitration conference was consisted of Professor Dr. Mirko Vasiljević, Professor Dr. Gašo Knežević, Professor Dr. Vladimir Pavić, Assistant Professor Dr. Milena Đorđević and lecturers Marko Jovanović and Uroš Živković.

Conference Proceedings (video) >>

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