1.13. The Permanent Court of Arbitration

♤ The Permanent Court of Arbitration, established convention of 1899, is an intergovernmental organisation providing a variety of dispute resolution services to the international community. The 1899 convention was revised in 1907.

♤ The PCA has 121 Contracting Parties (States) which have acceded to one or both of the PCA's founding conventions.

♤ The PCA has a three-part organisational structure consisting of an Administrative Council that oversees its policies and budgets, a panel of independent potential arbitrators

known as the Members of the Court, and its Secretariat, known as the International Bureau, headed by the Secretary-General.

♤ The PCA provides administrative support in international arbitrations involving various combinations of states, state entities, international organisations and private parties.

♤ The PCA’s functions are not limited to arbitration and also include providing support in other forms of peaceful resolution of international disputes, including mediation, conciliation, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

♤ The PCA is available to provide administrative support in fact-finding commissions of inquiry involving various combinations of states, state entities, international organisations and private parties.

♤ The Secretary-General of the PCA may be called upon to act as the appointing authority, or to designate another appointing authority, for the appointment of arbitrators under the PCA’s Rules of Procedure, the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, or other rules of procedure.