合同中AIFC争议解决条款示范文本
重要提示:以下条款均为示范文本(Model Clauses),仅供参考。具体商业合同的争议解决条款应当根据交易的实际情况(包括合同价值、当事人国籍、涉及的法律关系、行业惯例等)进行量身定制。我们建议在签署前咨询具有AIFC和哈萨克斯坦法律经验的专业律师。
一、AIFC法院排他性管辖条款(Model Clause 1)
英文版本(推荐在双语合同中保留)
"Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or in connection with this contract, including any question regarding its existence, validity, interpretation, performance, breach or termination, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Astana International Financial Centre Court (the AIFC Court). The parties irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of the AIFC Court and waive any objection to proceedings in the AIFC Court on the grounds of venue or on the grounds that proceedings have been brought in an inconvenient forum."
中文对应表述
"因本合同引起或与本合同有关的任何争议、纠纷或索赔,包括涉及本合同之存在、效力、解释、履行、违约或终止的任何问题,均应接受阿斯塔纳国际金融中心法院(AIFC法院)的排他性管辖。各方不可撤销地接受AIFC法院的管辖权,并放弃以审判地不便或诉讼已在不便利法院提起为由对AIFC法院的诉讼程序提出异议的权利。"
条款注释
- "排他性"(exclusive)一词至关重要:如希望所有争议仅能在AIFC法院解决,必须明确"排他性管辖"。如果仅写"非排他性管辖"(non-exclusive),则原告方仍有权选择在其他有管辖权的法院起诉。
- 涵盖范围要广:"arising out of or in connection with"("因本合同引起或与本合同有关")的表述范围宽于"arising under"("基于本合同"),前者能将侵权性质的关联争议(如缔约过失、不当得利)一并纳入管辖范围。
- 不可撤销地接受管辖:"irrevocably submit"确保事后一方不得反悔。
二、IAC仲裁条款(Model Clause 2)
IAC官方推荐的示范条款(英文)
"Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this contract, including any question regarding its existence, validity, interpretation, performance, breach or termination, shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the International Arbitration Centre of the Astana International Financial Centre (the IAC) under the IAC Arbitration Rules in force at the time the Notice of Arbitration is submitted. The seat of arbitration shall be the Astana International Financial Centre, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The language of the arbitration shall be [English]. The arbitral tribunal shall consist of [one/three] arbitrator(s)."
中文对应表述
"因本合同引起或与本合同有关的任何争议、纠纷或索赔,包括涉及本合同之存在、效力、解释、履行、违约或终止的任何问题,均应提交由阿斯塔纳国际金融中心国际仲裁中心(IAC)根据仲裁通知提交时有效的IAC仲裁规则进行管理的仲裁,并最终通过仲裁解决。仲裁地应为哈萨克斯坦努尔苏丹市阿斯塔纳国际金融中心。仲裁语言为[英文]。仲裁庭由[一名/三名]仲裁员组成。"
条款注释
- 仲裁地(Seat):必须明确约定。仲裁地决定仲裁的"国籍"和适用的程序法。建议约定在"Astana International Financial Centre, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan"。
- 仲裁语言:中方当事人可考虑约定英语("English"),因为IAC仲裁员名册中以英语为主要工作语言的仲裁员最为丰富。如需以中文进行,应事先与IAC确认是否有合适的仲裁员人选。
- 仲裁员人数:争议金额在100万美元以下建议约定1名,以上建议约定3名。3名仲裁员组成的仲裁庭虽然费用更高,但可降低独任仲裁员偏见风险。
- 规则版本:"at the time the Notice of Arbitration is submitted"(仲裁通知提交时有效)确保了规则版本的确定性,避免未来规则变更的不确定性。
三、多层争议解决条款(Model Clause 3)
示范文本(英文)
"1. Negotiation: The parties shall first attempt to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to this contract through amicable negotiations. Either party may give the other party a written notice of dispute, whereupon senior management representatives of each party shall meet within [14] days of such notice to attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute.
2. Mediation: If the dispute is not resolved through negotiations within [30] days of the notice of dispute, either party may refer the dispute to mediation administered by the International Arbitration Centre of the AIFC under the IAC Mediation Rules. The mediation shall take place in [Nur-Sultan] and shall be conducted in [English].
3. Arbitration: If the dispute is not resolved through mediation within [45] days of the appointment of the mediator (or such longer period as the parties may agree), the dispute shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the IAC under the IAC Arbitration Rules in force at the time the Notice of Arbitration is submitted. The seat of arbitration shall be the AIFC, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The language of the arbitration shall be [English]. The arbitral tribunal shall consist of [three] arbitrator(s)."
2. Mediation: If the dispute is not resolved through negotiations within [30] days of the notice of dispute, either party may refer the dispute to mediation administered by the International Arbitration Centre of the AIFC under the IAC Mediation Rules. The mediation shall take place in [Nur-Sultan] and shall be conducted in [English].
3. Arbitration: If the dispute is not resolved through mediation within [45] days of the appointment of the mediator (or such longer period as the parties may agree), the dispute shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the IAC under the IAC Arbitration Rules in force at the time the Notice of Arbitration is submitted. The seat of arbitration shall be the AIFC, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The language of the arbitration shall be [English]. The arbitral tribunal shall consist of [three] arbitrator(s)."
中文对应表述
"1. 协商:各方应首先尝试通过友好协商解决因本合同引起或与本合同有关的任何争议。任一方可向另一方发出书面争议通知,各方高级管理人员代表应在该通知发出后[14]日内会面,诚信努力解决争议。
2. 调解:如争议未能在争议通知发出后[30]日内通过协商得到解决,任一方可将争议提交由AIFC国际仲裁中心根据IAC调解规则管理的调解程序。调解应在[努尔苏丹]进行,调解语言为[英文]。
3. 仲裁:如争议未能在调解员指定后[45]日内(或各方约定的更长期限内)通过调解得到解决,争议应提交由IAC根据仲裁通知提交时有效的IAC仲裁规则进行管理的仲裁并最终通过仲裁解决。仲裁地应为哈萨克斯坦努尔苏丹市AIFC。仲裁语言为[英文]。仲裁庭由[三名]仲裁员组成。"
2. 调解:如争议未能在争议通知发出后[30]日内通过协商得到解决,任一方可将争议提交由AIFC国际仲裁中心根据IAC调解规则管理的调解程序。调解应在[努尔苏丹]进行,调解语言为[英文]。
3. 仲裁:如争议未能在调解员指定后[45]日内(或各方约定的更长期限内)通过调解得到解决,争议应提交由IAC根据仲裁通知提交时有效的IAC仲裁规则进行管理的仲裁并最终通过仲裁解决。仲裁地应为哈萨克斯坦努尔苏丹市AIFC。仲裁语言为[英文]。仲裁庭由[三名]仲裁员组成。"
多层条款的执行力问题:多层争议解决条款中,前序的协商和调解程序是否构成提起仲裁的先决条件(condition precedent),在各国司法实践中存在不同处理。为确保条款的可执行性,建议明确约定各阶段的期限,避免无期限拖延。同时,合同终止后多层条款效力应被明确保留。
四、关键起草注意事项
4.1 仲裁地与审理地不可混淆
仲裁地(Seat of Arbitration)是法律概念,决定裁决的国籍和适用的仲裁程序法。审理地/开庭地(Venue of Hearing)仅为实际开庭的地理位置。实践中常见错误是仅约定"开庭地点",而未明确"仲裁地",导致仲裁地不明的法律风险。建议在条款中分别明确仲裁地和可能的开庭地点。
4.2 合同准据法与仲裁规则应当分别约定
合同中应有两个独立条款:一是"管辖法律"(Governing Law),约定合同的实体法(如"本合同受哈萨克斯坦法律管辖");二是"争议解决"(Dispute Resolution),约定管辖法院或仲裁机制。很多合同错误地将二者混为一谈,必须明确区分。
4.3 多方合同中的合并与追加
对于涉及多个合同方的交易(如合资企业协议、多方EPC合同),应在仲裁条款中明确约定是否允许追加当事人(Joinder)和合并仲裁(Consolidation)。IAC规则允许仲裁庭在满足条件时进行追加和合并,但在条款中明文授权可以增强可预见性。
4.4 中文当事人的特殊考量
对于以中文为母语的中方当事人,建议在仲裁条款中特别约定:
- 仲裁语言:英文为实际最优选择(仲裁员可用性、成本控制),但可约定"双方有权以母语提交书面证据,由仲裁庭安排翻译";
- 仲裁员国籍:可约定首席仲裁员不得具有任何一方的国籍(如"none of the parties' nationalities");
- 裁决执行:确认仲裁裁决可根据1958年《纽约公约》在中国法院强制执行,并在条款后附注该确认声明。
五、在中国的执行保障
中国和哈萨克斯坦均为1958年《纽约公约》的缔约国。根据该公约,IAC仲裁裁决可以在中国法院申请承认与执行,审查标准限于公约第五条所列举的有限事由(仲裁协议效力、正当程序、仲裁庭权限、公共政策等),不得对裁决实体问题进行审查。此外,1993年《中哈民商事和刑事司法协助条约》也为双方司法领域合作提供了条约框架保障。因此,从中国当事人的角度,选择IAC仲裁在裁决的跨境执行方面具有良好的法律保障。