El Ministerio de Economía (MoE) de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos (EAU) acaba de anunciar la publicación de un proyecto de ley federal de arbitraje que, basado en la Ley Modelo UNCITRAL de 1985, regulará el arbitraje en todas sus variantes, esto es, el arbitraje internacional, nacional, así como el arbitraje en los ámbitos mercantil y civil.
El proyecto se ha elaborado conjuntamente entre el MoE y el Ministerio de Justicia, para “modernizar las leyes en materia de comercio e inversiones y para actualizar las leyes del país de tal forma que provean un marco competitivo en una estrategia de desarrollo y crecimiento”.
El proyecto de ley viene adjunto en la documentación relacionada. Quizás un comentario del comunicado que llama la atención es sobre la intervención de los ministerios mencionados en el proceso de supervisión de esta ley cuando sea ley.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economy will play crucial roles in overseeing the implementation of the new law's provisions, ensuring their effectiveness and enhancement in accordance with the country's best interests and keeping in mind international developments in arbitration.
El comentario es una declaración de intenciones, pero no deja de ser inquietante una declaración de intervencionismo ministerial en vez de judicial entendida como el proceso lógico de reconocimiento y ejecución de sentencias, ya sean nacionales o internacionales. Así las cosas, es posible que dicha Oficina funcione como un observatorio, pero no está claro en el comunicado.
Según el comunicado, los consultores internacionales que han asesorado al gobierno no dudan que la ley será “un referente internacional”. Ya veremos. De momento, el proyecto de ley no aporta nada extraordinario al concepto de “Oficina de Arbitraje” dependiente del Ministerio de Justicia.
El proyecto contiene dos anexos que presentamos en el mismo documento. El primero se corresponde con la Ley Modelo CNUDMI. El segundo anexo es el que nos interesa, ya que son las modificaciones que el proyecto de ley contempla a dicha Ley Modelo. El segundo anexo es el proyecto de ley de los UAE. Lo que los redactores de este proyecto han hecho es tomar la Ley Modelo y adaptarla a lo largo de 15 páginas. Literalmente, los redactores toman la Ley modelo artículo por artículo y enmiendan lo que estiman oportuno. Es la primera vez que vemos un proyecto redactado de esta forma.
El artículo 1 (1) que constituye la definición de “arbitraje internacional” se enmienda para establecer que la ley será de aplicación a los arbitrajes nacionales o internacionales “tanto de naturaleza mercantil como de cualquier otra”. Los EAU ratificaron la Convención de Nueva York el 21 de agosto de 2006, que entró en vigor el 19 de noviembre del mismo año. No se formularon reservas.
El artículo 1 (3)(b)(ii) se enmienda para reemplazar “relación mercantil” por las palabras “relaciones entre partes”.
El artículo 2(g) se enmienda para incluir con mismo rango singular y plural, masculino o femenino.
Los artículos relativos a la forma en la que se comunican las partes se enmiendan para contemplar todo tipo de comunicación que deje constancia de un envío.
Como en cualquier ley de arbitraje, los aspectos más importantes son sobre la intervención jurisdiccional en materia de medidas cautelares y práctica de pruebas en apoyo del árbitro, y sobre reconocimiento y ejecución de laudos. Transcribimos dichos aspectos del proyecto recogidos en el anexo II.
Article 5 – Extent of Court Intervention
Article 5 of the Model Law shall be supplemented as follows:
In the exercise of its functions the court shall act in accordance with the Law’s objectives and provisions and shall at all times strive to uphold the parties’ agreement to arbitrate and support the arbitral tribunal’s performance of its duties.
Article 6 – Court or Other Authority for Certain Functions of Arbitration Assistance and Supervision
(1) The functions of the court referred to in articles 11(3), 11(4), 13(3), 14, 16(3) and 34(2) of the Model Law, as well as articles 15(2), 31(4)(b) and 41(1) of the Additional, Amending and Supplementary Provisions, shall be exercised in the State by the Court of Appeal at the federal or local level in the following order of priority:
(a) the court with jurisdiction over the place of arbitration;
(b) the court with jurisdiction over the counterparty’s place of business or habitual residence;
(c) the court with jurisdiction over the place where the substantial part of the obligations of the parties’ relationship is to be performed or with jurisdiction over the place with which the subject matter of the dispute is most closely connected.
(2) The court in the State competent to exercise the functions referred to in articles 9(2) and 17(2) of the Additional, Amending and Supplementary Provisions and articles 35 and 36 of the Model Law shall be the Court of Appeal of the Emirate within which enforcement of a particular interim measure or award is, or will be, sought.
(3) Where enforcement of an arbitral award is required within more than one Emirate the court first seized of the application under paragraph (2) of this article shall have exclusive jurisdiction over it.
Article 9 – Arbitration Agreement and Interim Measures by Court
Article 9 of the Model Law shall be supplemented as follows:
Ver también artículo 17
(1) Any request for interim measures of protection from a court within the State shall be made to the court identified in article 6 (2) above.
(2) The court may grant a request for such interim measures of protection as it may consider necessary in relation to an imminent or ongoing arbitration, including those measures identified at article 17 (1) (b) below.
(3) When considering a request under this article the court shall have regard to the provisions of article 17 (1) (c) below.
(4) An order made by the court under this article shall cease to have effect in whole or in part on the order of the arbitral tribunal or of any arbitral or other institution or person that such court identifies as having power to act in relation to the subject matter of the order.
(5) If the case is not one of urgency, any request under this article made during arbitral proceedings shall only be made with the written permission of the arbitral tribunal or the agreement in writing of the other parties. Any request for permission made to the arbitral tribunal shall be simultaneously copied to all other parties.
(6) In any case, the court shall only consider a request under this article if, or to the extent that, it is satisfied the arbitral tribunal, and any arbitral or other institution or person vested by the parties with power in that regard, has no power or is unable for the time being to act effectively.
(7) The permission of the court is required for any appeal from a decision of the court under this article.
Article 34 – Application for Setting Aside as Exclusive Recourse against Arbitral Award
Article 34 (3) of the Model Law shall be supplemented as follows:
The parties may by written agreement extend the time for the making of any application to set aside an award.
Article 34 (4)
Article 34 (4) of the Model Law shall be supplemented as follows:
Unless the parties have agreed otherwise, or the court directs, the parties’ agreement to arbitrate the dispute originally referred to arbitration shall survive the setting aside of any resulting award, unless the setting aside was based on the reasons referred to in sub-article (a)(1) of Article 34(2) above.
Article 35 – Recognition and Enforcement
Article 35 (2) of the Model Law shall be supplemented as follows:
(a) For the purposes of the recognition or enforcement of any award within the State, an original award is authentic if signed by the majority of the arbitrators, provided that the award states the reason for any arbitrator’s omitted signature. A certified copy of an authenticated original award is any copy that is authenticated either by a public notary, consular authority or judicial officer at the place of arbitration or elsewhere.
(b) A certified copy of an original arbitration agreement is any copy authenticated in the same manner as an original award.
(c) A certified translation is any translation that is certified as being accurate by a translator of the languages concerned officially recognized by the state in which they carry on the profession of translator.
Article 36 – Grounds for Refusing Recognition or Enforcement
Article 36 (1) of the Model Law shall be supplemented as follows:
No party wishing to resist the recognition or enforcement of an arbitral award which has been made in the State may rely upon any ground set out below if it has, or could have, attempted to rely on the identical ground in an application to set aside the award under to article 34(2) above. Where a party that has already applied to set aside an arbitral award under article 34(2) is entitled to resist the recognition or enforcement of the award under this sub-article the court may not consider whether there are grounds for refusing recognition or enforcement under sub-article (b)(i) below.
Los contratos laborales quedan fuera del arbitraje. Las relaciones contractuales en materia de arrendamientos residenciales y de consumo podrán arbitrarse. No hay más referencia sobre este tipo de contratos, excepto que se permite el arbitraje para resolver posibles desavenencias.
Article 42 – Employment, Residential Property and Consumer Contracts
Article 42 shall be added to the Model Law as follows:
(1) For the avoidance of doubt, and further to article 1(5) of the Model Law:
(a) any agreement to arbitrate disputes arising out of or in connection with an employment contract shall be void;
(b) any agreement to arbitrate disputes arising out of or in connection with a contract for the lease or sale of residential premises shall confer upon any party not acting in the furtherance of a business a right to arbitrate or litigate any dispute that may subsequently arise.
(c) any agreement to arbitrate disputes arising out of or in connection with a contract to supply the goods or services of a business to a consumer not acting in furtherance of their own business shall confer upon such consumer the right to arbitrate or litigate any dispute that may subsequently arise.