ARBITRATION

The Lebanese Arbitration Center was established in May 8, 1995 in close affiliation with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, whose by-laws and regulations are similar to those of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. The Lebanese Arbitration Center relies on the Lebanese Procedural Code for the regulation of internal and international arbitration.

The amendment introduced by law 440/2002 to the Code of Civil Procedure gave more efficiency to the arbitration procedure: arbitration is possible in all kind of commercial, civil and public contracts noting that in the latter case the arbitration clause or agreement should be approved by a decree issued in the council of the ministers. Arbitration sentences are given exequatur on the condition that they respect the public order.

Moreover, all of the bilateral and multilateral treaties, agreements and contracts signed by Lebanon, and which are related to the protection of investments and other commercial issues, include the possibility of resolving disputes by arbitration.

Lebanon  also ratified the 1958 convention of New York relating to international arbitration and the 1965 Washington convention relating to the settlement of investments disputes between governments and investors of other countries (ICSID).

Law no. 360 of August 16, 2001 on the Promotion of Investments in Lebanon offers the possibility of resolving the disputes arising from Package Deal Contracts signed between the Government of Lebanon represented by IDAL and the investor by amicable settlement otherwise by arbitration according to the procedure mentioned in the Lebanese law or any international arbitration center.

CONCILIATION AND MEDIATION

The practice of mediation and conciliation in all kind of contracts is growing in Lebanon even though that it has no special regulation. The Lebanese Arbitration Center has a special procedure for conciliation and mediation, which conforms to international practice.