Travaux préparatoires: Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the "Singapore Convention on Mediation")

The United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements resulting from Mediation (“Singapore Convention on Mediation” or “Convention”) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2018. General Assembly resolution 73/198 of 20 December 2018.

The Singapore Convention on Mediation was finalized at the fifty-first Commission session (A/73/17 para. 49).

The Working Group considered it from the sixty-third to the sixty-eighth sessions.

List of travaux préparatoires by document

• A/CN.9/WG.II/WP.205 - International commercial mediation: preparation of instruments on enforcement of international commercial settlement agreements resulting from mediation - Note by the Secretariat.
• A/CN.9/942 - International commercial mediation: draft convention on international settlement agreements resulting from mediation - Note by the Secretariat.
• A/CN.9/934 - Report of Working Group II (Dispute Settlement) on the work of its sixty-eighth session (New York, 5-9 February 2018).
• A/CN.9/929 - Report of Working Group II (Dispute Settlement) on the work of its sixty-seventh session (Vienna, 2-6 October 2017).
• A/CN.9/901 - Report of Working Group II (Dispute Settlement) on the work of its sixty-sixth session (New York, 6-10 February 2017).
• A/CN.9/896 - Report of Working Group II (Dispute Settlement) on the work of its sixty-fifth session (Vienna, 12-23 September 2016).
• A/CN.9/867 - Report of Working Group II (Arbitration and Conciliation) on the work of its sixty-fourth session (New York, 1-5 February 2016).
• A/CN.9/861 - Report of Working Group II (Arbitration and Conciliation) on the work of its sixty-third session (Vienna, 7-11 September 2015).

The travaux préparatoires organized by article

The Working Group drafted a note that outlined the travaux préparatoires by article (A/CN.9/942). The documents from the travaux préparatoires are organized by article and, where relevant, organized by paragraph or issue within the article.

Terminology

• For rationale for change from the term "conciliation" to the term "mediation" throughout the draft instrument see A/CN.9/934, para. 16 and A/CN.9/929, paras. 102–104; and A/CN.9/867, para. 120.

Title

• A/CN.9/934, para. 143

Preamble

• A/CN.9/934, para. 145

Reference to "Party/Parties to the Convention"

• A/CN.9/934, paras. 116–118

Article 1. Scope of application

Article 1(1)

• For information about the introduction of the generic term "settlement agreement", see A/CN.9/934, para. 17
• Reference to “international agreements” was avoided in paragraph 1 as that expression often refers to agreements between States or other international legal persons binding under international law. For reference to this discussion, see A/CN.9/896, para. 146

For approval of article 1(1), see

• A/CN.9/934, paras. 18 and 21

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 14 and 30
• A/CN.9/901, paras. 52 and 56
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 14–16, 113–117, 145 and 146
• A/CN.9/867, para. 94

For consideration of the notion of internationality, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 31–35 and 43
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 17–24 and 158–163
• A/CN.9/867, paras. 93–98
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 33–39

Article 1(2)

For approval of article 1(2), see A/CN.9/934, para. 23.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 15 and 30
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 55–60
• A/CN.9/867, paras. 106–108
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 41–43

Article 1(3)

For approval of article 1(3), see A/CN.9/934, para. 24.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 17–29 and 30
• A/CN.9/901, paras. 25–34, 52, and 58–71
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 48–54, 169–176 and 205–210
• A/CN.9/867, paras. 118 and 125–131
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 24–28

Article 2. Definitions

Paragraphs 1 to 3 of article 2 (previously numbered art. 3, see A/CN.9/934, para. 139(ii)) contain definitions approved in substance by the Working Group. The Commission may wish to consider paragraph 4, which aims at clarifying the notions of “granting relief” and “seeking relief”. As these expressions may have a generic connotation, in particular when translated in different official languages of the United Nations, it is suggested to clarify that the expressions refer to possible actions under the draft convention as defined under article 3 (A/CN.9/934, para. 138).

Article 2(1)

For approval of article 2(1), see A/CN.9/934, paras. 26 and 28.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 31–35 and 43
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 17–24 and 158–163
• A/CN.9/867, para. 101
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 33–39

Article 2(2)

For approval of article 2(2), see A/CN.9/934, para. 29.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, para. 43
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 32–38 and 66
• A/CN.9/867, para. 133

Article 2(3)

For approval of article 2(3), see A/CN.9/934, paras. 30–32.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, para. 43
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 39-47
• A/CN.9/867, para. 121
• A/CN.9/861, para. 21

Article 3. General principles

Article 3

For approval of article 3, see A/CN.9/934, para. 25.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 44–48 and 73
• A/CN.9/901, paras. 16–24, 52, 54 and 55
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 76–81, 152, 153, 155 and 200–203
• A/CN.9/867, para. 146
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 71–79

Article 4. Requirements for reliance on settlement agreements

For approval of article 4, seeA/CN.9/934, paras. 37–39.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 49–67 and 73
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 67–75, 82 and 177–190
• A/CN.9/867, paras. 133–144
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 51–67

Article 5. Grounds for refusing to grant relief

For approval of article 5, see A/CN.9/934, paras. 59 and 66.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, paras. 74–101
• A/CN.9/901, paras. 41–50, 52 and 72–88
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 84–117 and 191–194
• A/CN.9/867, paras. 147–167
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 85–102

Article 6. Parallel applications or claims

For approval of article 6, see A/CN.9/934, para. 70.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/896, paras. 122–12
• A/CN.9/867, paras. 168 and 169
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 103–107

Article 7. Other laws or treaties

For approval of article 7, see A/CN.9/934, para. 71.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/929, para. 19
• A/CN.9/901, paras. 65, 66 and 71
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 154, 156, and 204

Article 8. Reservations

Article 8(1)(a)

For approval of article 8(1)(a), see A/CN.9/934, paras. 77 and 93.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/896, paras. 61 and 62
• A/CN.9/861, paras. 44–46

Article 8(1)(b)

For approval of article 8(1)(b), see A/CN.9/934, paras. 79 and 93.

For consideration of the matter at previous sessions, see

• A/CN.9/901, paras. 39 and 40
• A/CN.9/896, paras. 130 and 196

Article 8(2) through article 8(2)(5)

For approval of article 8, paragraphs (2) to (5), see A/CN.9/934, paras. 81–93.

Article 9. Effect on settlement agreements

• A/CN.9/901, para. 90

Articles 10 - 16.

• A/CN.9/934, paras. 94-115

Other Matters

(i) General Assembly resolution

For consideration by the Working Group of the form of the instruments, see A/CN.9/901, paras. 52 and 89–93 and /CN.9/896, paras. 135–143 and 211–213.

For approval of the draft text in para. 25 above at the sixty-eighth session of the Working Group, see A/CN.9/934, paras. 140–142.