Parties both residing outside of Switzerland can waive in advance their right to appeal the arbitral award before the Swiss Federal Tribunal. Waiving the only possibility of control by the state judge has severe consequences. The waiver also raises the question of a possible violation of the rights enshrined in Article 6 ECHR. After having initially set strict conditions for the validity of waivers, the Federal Tribunal recently turned to a more liberal approach. This article will examine the conditions of the waiver, its consequences and its compatibility with Article 6 ECHR, with a particular focus on the recent case law.
Journal of International Arbitration