The ICC Construction disputes and arbitration in the SEE region conference was organized in Belgrade for the first time by the ICC International Court of Arbitration with the support of ICC Serbia and law firms Karanovic & Partners and Pinsent Masons.
The event, spearheaded by Senior Partner Milan Lazić and Senior Associate* Milica Savić, was held at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce building and was visited by around 100 people. Internationally renowned engineers, construction arbitration specialists and in-house lawyers of leading companies in the field shared their practical experience and knowledge regarding FIDIC contracts and the related procedures for claims and disputes.
The attendees had the opportunity to hear practical tips in preparing and handling construction cases, as well as updates on some of the most important features of „claims management“ introduced by FIDIC in 2017 Suite of Contracts. The attendees also had an exclusive networking platform for the international construction community.
During the two panel discussions, speakers extensively covered the common causes of construction disputes and their resolution pre-arbitration, i.e. what to do when the problem arises in construction projects, how to best protect yourself and the position of the client in preparation of a dispute and how to avoid the dispute in the first place. The second panel was devoted to what exactly to do if and when the dispute arises. During this panel, the attendees had the opportunity to hear what are the common features of construction disputes and how to make the dispute more efficient.
“This is a very important day and a very important event for arbitration community in Serbia and the entire region – this is the first ICC Arbitration Conference in Belgrade. And symbolically, we make this event in the year in which ICC celebrates a jubilee of a century of existence. ICC International Court of Arbitration was founded in 1923. It took us 96 years to make a conference but here we are in Belgrade”, said Milan Lazić.
Milan Lazić emphasized the ICC statistics worldwide are showing that construction disputes have made 20% of all new cases in the year 2016, then in the year 2017 – 23% of all new cases and in 2018 – 27%, so up and rising.
On this occasion, the 100 years since the founding of the ICC in Paris was marked.
*independent attorney in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners
