Kompetenz-kompetenz

Kompetenz-kompetenz, or competence-competence, is a jurisprudential doctrine whereby a legal body, such as a court or arbitral tribunal, may have competence, or jurisdiction, to rule as to the extent of its own competence on an issue before it. The concept arose in the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany.[1] Since then, kompetenz-kompetenz has often been important in international arbitration.[2][3]

Origin

In arbitration

The doctrine of kompetenz-kompetenz is enshrined in the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and Arbitration Rules.[4][5] Article 16(1) of the Model Law and article 23(1) of the Arbitration Rules both dictate that "[t]he arbitral tribunal shall have the power to rule on its own jurisdiction, including any objections with respect to the existence or validity of the arbitration agreement."[6][7] United States arbitration law does not expressly address the principle of kompetenz-kompetenz, but courts have consistently recognised such a power where the parties have granted it to the tribunal.[8]

See also

• Parliamentary sovereignty
• Primacy of European Union law

References

1. Lo, P. Y. (2004). "Master of One's Own Court". Hong Kong Law Journal. 34: 54. 34 Hong Kong L.J. 47, 54 – via HeinOnline, citing Hartley, Trevor C. (1999). Constitutional Problems of the European Union. Hart. pp. 152–153. ISBN 9781901362466.
2. Dulic, Adrianna (2002). "First Options of Chicago, Inc. v. Kaplan and the Kompetenz-Kompetenz Principle". Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal. 2 (1): 77–97. 2 Pepp. Disp. Resol. L.J. 77 – via HeinOnline.
3. Oehmke, Thomas H.; with Joan M. Brovins. "International Arbitration". Commercial Arbitration. Vol. 2 (3rd ed.). § 41:65.
4. Bantekas, Ilias. An introduction to international arbitration. New York. p. 109. ISBN 9781316275696. OCLC 917009113.
5. Croft, Clyde Elliott; Kee, Christopher; Waincymer, Jeff (2013). A guide to the UNCITRAL arbitration rules. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 249. ISBN 9781107336209. OCLC 842929920.
6. UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (PDF). United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. 1994. art. 16(1). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2019-09-12.
7. UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (with new article 1, paragraph 4, as adopted in 2013) (PDF). United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. 2014. art. 23(1).
8. "Arbitration Procedures and Practice in the United States: Overview". Thomson Reuters Practical Law. Retrieved 10 July 2021.