Cooperation Protocol was signed between ISTAC and Istanbul Arbitration Associaton
In order to develop the arbitration culture in Turkey and provide a multifaceted support to help build up a sectoral structure in this area, on 18 July 2018 a cooperation protocol between Istanbul Arbitration Center (ISTAC) and Istanbul Arbitration Association (ISTA) was signed.
With the participation of the executive board members of the both institutions, ISTAC hosted a ceremony at TOBB Tower. On behalf of ISTAC, Prof. Dr. Ziya Akıncı and on behalf of ISTA, Atty. Mehmet Gün signed the protocol.
Prof. Dr. Akıncı delivered a speech during the ceremony, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between institutions for the development and spreading of arbitration in Turkey. The protocol signed with ISTA being one of the concrete steps taken for this goal, he stated: “ISTAC is a fairly new institution but we have gone a long way in a short period of time. Our institution is increasing its activity step by step through new case applications. We have undertaken very important steps, of which we will see the results within the next 5 years with great pride. First of these steps was to come into contact with the public sector. Thanks to the Prime Ministry Circular and the amendments in the Public Procurement Law, now the public sector is also embracing arbitration method and using it more. With all these regulations we went 20 years ahead in terms of developing arbitration and we are expecting it to increase our case number in a few years. There has also been an important support from the private sector to our institution. The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and its president Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu supported us greatly. Also our executive board members Mustafa Çıkrıkçıoğlı and Müjdat Keçeci took the arbitration to the Turkish Assembly of Exporters (TİM) and chambers of industry and commerce in order to explain and promote arbitration to the commercial decision-makers. On the other side we are also working with the bar associations. Our executive member Atty. Rifat Bacanlı helped us organize arbitration trainings in many bar associations of Turkey. With this protocol we just signed, we are now starting cooperation with a non-governmental organization working on arbitration as well. We find it very important that ISTA considers us as a partner, similar to the example of Switzerland. As an NGO, ISTA assumes a great role in developing arbitration in our country. The projects that will be created with this cooperation will definitely contribute to developing arbitration greatly. When Istanbul becomes an international arbitration hub and “Turkey” calls to mind a place where justice is distributed, nothing can be more precious than these, which cannot be valued with money.”
Atty. Mehmet Gün, ISTA chairman of the executive board, emphasized the importance of the specialized institutions for the development of arbitration. Such expertise associations in Switzerland, USA and Sweden play a critical role for the institutionalization of arbitration. Atty. Gün evaluated the opportunities that will come out of the cooperation of ISTAC and ISTA and said: “Istanbul Arbitration Center was founded with a great excitement. With this motivation, ISTAC became one of the internationally advised arbitration centers within three years. Since 40 years, ISTAC is the only project that private and public sectors have a consensus on. During founding period of ISTAC, ISTA made the arbitration sector of come together under its platform and created the structure of the qualification criteria for the specialization field. Furthermore, ISTA published a set of ethics rules for arbitration, which was embraced by many arbitration appliers. For many disputes in Turkey foreign arbitration is used for resolution. It would be beneficial for everyone to bring these cases to Turkey. In order to do this, the most important step, the foundation of ISTAC, was taken. Now we have come together for cooperation, in order to make Istanbul an international arbitration center. This protocol, the most important activity of our Association, is institutionalizing the cooperation to achieve the goals of Turkey in the arbitration area.”
The protocol between ISTAC and ISTA covers many cooperation topics such as the training of arbitrators to increase their professional qualities, establishing arbitrator ethics, spreading the membership and contact networks, and appointment of arbitrators, in order to enhance the arbitration in Turkey. Both institutions plan to develop common projects to promote ISTAC and Istanbul as an internationally accepted arbitration center and increase arbitration expertise in Turkey, especially in Istanbul.
