ICC Czech Republic holds East-West Business Forum

International Chamber of Commerce Czech Republic organized an “East-West Business Forum 2009” on the occasion of ICC’s 90th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of ICC in the Czech Republic.

The forum and a gala evening were held on 17 September 2009 in Prague. Foreign participants spent the first half of the week at the 51st International Engineering Fair in Brno, where they took part in get to know you meetings and established new contacts with Czech businessmen.

ICC Czech Republic was honored to host Jean Rozwadowski, ICC Secretary General, at both the business forum and gala evening. Mr Rozwadowski told the forum that a solid, multilateral and rules-based training system is all the more vital in the current economic crisis.

The ICC economic forum, held under the patronage of the President of the Czech Republic Senate, Přemysl Sobotka, discussed the state of the world’s economy 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, international economic relations, and international trade financing, and trade operations and risks.

The forum, attended by 120 representatives of companies from various sectors, foreign participants, representatives of the embassies and state’s administration, issued a statement on recent economic developments in the Czech Republic and the world.

The statement urged governments to reject protectionist policies, arguing that they undermine fair economic competition. It also called on the Czech Parliament to approve a state budget that supports economic growth and urged the government to increase the insurance capabilities of The Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation for the next two years to avoid the depreciation of multiyear investments so the position of Czech companies in foreign markets would not be depreciated.

ICC Czech Republic would like to thank all participants for their attendance and support of our East-West Business Forum and hope too see them at this outstanding event in the Czech Republic next year.

ICC Japan hosts seminar on international arbitration

International Chamber of Commerce Japan hosted an international seminar on arbitration and ADR on 12 May 2009 in cooperation with ICC and ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICA). This seminar attracted a record attendance of more than 170 corporate legal executives, legal practitioners and lawyers from Japan and several foreign countries.

In his opening address commemorating the 90th anniversary of ICC, Mr Mikio Sasaki, Chairman of ICC Japan, said ICC is stressing arbitration activities in Asia by establishing the Asia office of the ICA Secretariat in Hong Kong. He explained that the purpose of the seminar on arbitration was to promote better understanding of the use of arbitration and ADR in effectively resolving international commercial disputes, which are expected to rapidly increase due to the globalization of the economy.

Other speakers pointed out the advantages of mediation rather than litigation, time and costs involved in hiring arbitrators, the role of dispute boards, and the ongoing process of revising the ICC arbitration rules. Other subjects included case studies of the ICC International Centre for Expertise and of investment dispute arbitration. The tendencies of Japanese corporations to utilize arbitration in resolving international disputes were also discussed.

Speakers who addressed the seminar included John Beechey, Chairman of ICA; Peter Wolrich, Chairman of ICC Commission on Arbitration; Toshio Sawada, Vice-Chairman of ICA; Mr Isao Soejima, Member of the Standing Committee, ICC International Center for Expertise; Mr Hiroshi Oda, Member of ICA; Mr. Kazumichi Matsuki, Assistant to the Senior Executive Vice President, Mitsubishi Corporation; Mr Isao Ijuin, Attorney-at-Law, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu; and Mr Hiroyuki Tezuka, Attorney-at-Law, Nishimura & Asahi.

ICC Japan said important interest in arbitration in Japan had been generated through the seminar discussions, adding that it is now in the process of establishing an arbitration committee to further promote ICC arbitration services in the country.