ArbDB Member, Mark Appel, Chairs The Investor-State Mediation Task Force Of The International Mediation Institute (IMI)

ArbDB Member, Mark Appel is the Chair of the Investor-State Mediation Task Force of IMI. This Task Force has recently developed and published, as part of the IMI Independent Standards Commission, Competency Criteria for Investor-State Mediators

These Criteria are to assist parties, appointing institutions and other bodies in selecting competent and suitable mediators and have been developed against the background of increasing interest on the part of sovereign states in mediation of such disputes.

Mark Appel commented: ‘I have been privileged to lead this initiative for IMI, at a time of increasing interest from states and even the current mediation of such a dispute in Asia. We aim to build on this with mediation awareness sessions for state parties and also investors and also look to the opportunity to pilot the Criteria. My colleagues at ArbDB Chambers, Wolf von Kumberg and Michael Cover, and I are already involved in such an initiative with the International Energy Charter Conference and the Energy Charter Secretariat in Brussels.

This organisation has recently promulgated its own Guide on Investment Mediation

http://www.energycharter.org/media/news/article/conference-endorses-guide-on-investment-mediation/?tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&cHash=991328c1d9ab94a1d2d0fc1752465bda