About us

Origins

Nestled between France and Spain, the Principality of Andorra came about as a result of two international arbitral awards made in the years 1278 and 1288. Its unique political model, presided over by two Co-princes, the President of the French Republic and the Bishop of Urgell, has survived over the centuries and, with it, the neutrality which the Principality has so successfully preserved.

The people who inhabit the valleys which today make up the Andorran Nation – whose luxuriant vegetation over magnificent mountains have been recognised  UNESCO World Heritage – have carried in their DNA, from inception, a culture of dialogue, of deal-making and of resolving disputes.

Proud of that legacy and firmly convinced that both economic growth and societal well-being inevitably include the promotion and development, both globally and nationally, of alternative means of dispute resolution, the Principality of Andorra, at the beginning of the last decade, set up a committee of experts to introduce a modern, dynamic and effective arbitration law, incorporating provisions reflecting the latest developments in the world of arbitration.

As a result of that initiative, 2014 saw the adoption of the 47/2014 Act of 18 December, on arbitration in the Principality of Andorra, and, four years later, the 13/2018 Act, on the Arbitral Tribunal of the Principality of Andorra (ATPA), aiming at creating a single institution to administer arbitration in the Principality.

As a signatory to the New York Convention of 1958 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, the Principality of Andorra also guarantees that any award made in its territory will benefit from the provisions of the Convention.

The ATPA, whose founding members are the Andorran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services and the Andorra Bar Association offers both the Andorran business community and all operators in the field of international trade the possibility of choosing a sound institution to deal with their disputes in a secure and dynamic manner.

At all times, it is guided in its actions by the values of independence, confidentiality and trustworthiness, which are safeguarded by its organs, the Assembly and the Arbitral Board.

Submitting disputes to the ATPA for resolution is thus opting always for professional impartiality and competence, with complete assurance that the arbitrators, freely chosen by the parties but appointed by the ATPA’s Arbitral Board, will be entirely independent and impartial.

Furthermore, the ATPA applies modern arbitration rules, allowing large scope for adaptation to the parties’ specific procedural needs, as well as the unusual feature that evidence can be submitted in Catalan, Spanish, French or English without any need for translation.

Lastly, by choosing the ATPA to resolve their disputes, the parties will also have the opportunity, during their spare time, to enjoy a magnificent country, first-class hotels, 300 km of famous ski slopes, a multicultural society and unparalleled security, together with close proximity to Barcelona and Toulouse international airports and the high-speed train stations of Zaragoza, Lleida, Perpignan and Girona.

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Nestled between France and Spain, the Principality of Andorra came about as a result of two international arbitral awards made in the years 1278 and 1288. Its unique political model, presided over by two Co-princes, the President of the French Republic and the Bishop of Urgell, has survived over the centuries and, with it, the neutrality which the Principality has so successfully preserved.

The people who inhabit the valleys which today make up the Andorran Nation – whose luxuriant vegetation over magnificent mountains have been recognised  UNESCO World Heritage – have carried in their DNA, from inception, a culture of dialogue, of deal-making and of resolving disputes.

Proud of that legacy and firmly convinced that both economic growth and societal well-being inevitably include the promotion and development, both globally and nationally, of alternative means of dispute resolution, the Principality of Andorra, at the beginning of the last decade, set up a committee of experts to introduce a modern, dynamic and effective arbitration law, incorporating provisions reflecting the latest developments in the world of arbitration.

As a result of that initiative, 2014 saw the adoption of the 47/2014 Act of 18 December, on arbitration in the Principality of Andorra, and, four years later, the 13/2018 Act, on the Arbitral Tribunal of the Principality of Andorra (ATPA), aiming at creating a single institution to administer arbitration in the Principality.

As a signatory to the New York Convention of 1958 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, the Principality of Andorra also guarantees that any award made in its territory will benefit from the provisions of the Convention.

The ATPA, whose founding members are the Andorran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services and the Andorra Bar Association offers both the Andorran business community and all operators in the field of international trade the possibility of choosing a sound institution to deal with their disputes in a secure and dynamic manner.

At all times, it is guided in its actions by the values of independence, confidentiality and trustworthiness, which are safeguarded by its organs, the Assembly and the Arbitral Board.

Submitting disputes to the ATPA for resolution is thus opting always for professional impartiality and competence, with complete assurance that the arbitrators, freely chosen by the parties but appointed by the ATPA’s Arbitral Board, will be entirely independent and impartial.

Furthermore, the ATPA applies modern arbitration rules, allowing large scope for adaptation to the parties’ specific procedural needs, as well as the unusual feature that evidence can be submitted in Catalan, Spanish, French or English without any need for translation.

Lastly, by choosing the ATPA to resolve their disputes, the parties will also have the opportunity, during their spare time, to enjoy a magnificent country, first-class hotels, 300 km of famous ski slopes, a multicultural society and unparalleled security, together with close proximity to Barcelona and Toulouse international airports and the high-speed train stations of Zaragoza, Lleida, Perpignan and Girona.

Bodies of the Arbitral Tribunal

The Assembly - TAPA
>The Assembly
The Assembly is composed of at least seven members entitled to vote, appointed for a renewable term of four years: three members are appointed by the Andorran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services and three members are appointed by the Andorra Bar Association. Its President is chosen jointly by all of the members and has the casting vote in the event of a tie. Furthermore, the By-Laws of the ATPA provide that the Assembly may appoint one or two vice-presidents who can, in full or in part, assume the duties entrusted to the President of the ATPA.
Presidency - TAPA
>The Presidency

The Presidency is the ATPA’s highest governing and representative body.

The President is appointed by the Assembly for a term of four years and may be re-elected.

While holding office, the President cannot act as an arbitrator in any arbitration administered by the ATPA.

Secretaría General  - TAPA
>The General Secretary

The General Secretary is responsible, by delegation from the Arbitral Board, for monitoring the arbitral proceedings entrusted to the ATPA.

The Secretary General is also responsible for the treasury of the ATPA and for controlling and safekeeping its financial resources.

>The Arbitral Board

The Arbitral Board is a decision-making body which assists the Assembly and Secretary General of the ATPA.

It is composed of five members: one member appointed by each of the founding members of the ATPA; one member who is independent of the founding members, has a recognised experience in arbitration and is appointed by the Assembly; the President and the Secretary General.

The Arbitral Board has exclusive competence to administer the arbitral proceedings submitted to the arbitration rules of the ATPA (“the Rules”) and, by express delegation from the Assembly, has exclusive competence to appoint or confirm the arbitrators.

It is also the body which determines the requirements to be met by any candidate wishing to act as a possible arbitrator in a case before the ATPA, as the ATPA do not run a closed list of arbitrators.

Members of the Assembly and of the Arbitral Board

> Órganos

In accordance with the By-Laws of the ATPA, all its members must satisfy the requirements regarding the necessary independence and impartiality and always ensure the proper operation of the arbitral institution.

They must also be individuals of good business and professional repute and possess the appropriate knowledge to carry out the duties inherent with their office, together with adequate professional experience.

All its members, together with the staff of the ATPA, have a duty of the utmost confidentiality in respect of their office or the function they perform, and all debates held, and resolutions passed within the ATPA are confidential by nature.

No member of the ATPA may act as an arbitrator or legal adviser to parties in matters submitted to arbitration before the ATPA, unless expressly agreed by the parties.

President
Pierre Raoul-Duval
Secretary General
Juan Pablo Correa Delcasso
Assembly · Arbitral Board
Pilar Escaler
Assembly
Miguel Cases
Assembly
Jordi Daban
Assembly
Joan Monegal
Assembly · Arbitral Board
Marc Maestre
Arbitral board
Jordi Sellarès
Assembly
Miguel Cases

Commissions

Services

The ATPA not only offers the parties a first-class service in the administration and handling of the arbitration process, it also offers many other services intended to facilitate the conduct of arbitration in Andorra.

In relation to the arbitration process:

> Confirmation, appointment and/or replacement of arbitrators

> Active monitoring of the whole arbitration process

> Preliminary review of the award

> Determination and monitoring of the financial part of the arbitration process

Ancillary services as required:

> Transfer by private vehicle from and to Toulouse or Barcelona airport and other public or private means of transport.

> Preferential rates at hotels and restaurants

> Preferential rates for translation services

Sevices - TAPA

Facilities

> President
Pierre Raoul-Duval

Specialising in international contracts and litigation, Pierre Raoul-Duval has extensive experience in designing litigation strategies and in the resolution of complex cases before arbitral tribunals, as well as in the field of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in general.

Moreover, over the course of his long career, he has had the opportunity to run one of France’s leading international law firms and to participate in a large number of international arbitration cases, principally before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) but also before other institutions, in the field of investment disputes and in matters of international trade, intellectual property and engineering and construction contracts. He has also acted in complex national and international ADR cases.

His wealth of experience includes having been president, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator in proceedings conducted under the auspices of both the International Court of the ICC and the American Arbitration Association (AAA), as well as other arbitral institutions. He has also been a member of the Panel of Conciliators of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Languages: French, English.

> Secretary General
Juan Pablo Correa Delcasso

Juan Pablo Correa Delcasso holds a cum laude Doctorate in law from the University of Barcelona (1997) following his doctoral thesis on injunction orders which has influenced the current regulation of that procedure in Spain and in some countries in Latin America.

During his long career at prestigious law firms, he has been involved in the resolution of numerous disputes, actively defending the interests of companies in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, property and car industries.

He is an Associate Professor at the University of Toulouse (UT1 Capitole) Faculty of Law, visiting professor at Paris-Dauphine University (France) and Professor of procedural law at the University of Barcelona.

He is also the author of numerous scholarly articles published in both Europe and Latin America, regularly speaks at conferences and takes part in projects financed by the European Union.

He acts as an arbitrator and international mediator at prestigious institutions, at both national and international levels, such as the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Barcelona Arbitral Tribunal (Tribunal Arbitral de Barcelona: TAB) and the Court of Arbitration of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce.

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French, English, Italian.

> Assembly · Arbitral Board
Pilar Escaler

Pilar Escaler has been Director of the Andorra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIS) since 1994.

She holds a Law degree from the University of Barcelona and, during her long career in charge of the CCIS, she has been involved in major projects which have been crucial for the development of Andorra’s economic and social well-being. They include achieving the coordination of the Principality’s main commercial centre, which is the pedestrianised area of Avinguda de Meritxell and Avinguda de Carlemany.

She has also actively promoted the CCIS’s business training, organising numerous seminars on current themes and other training actions aimed at increasing professionalism in the Andorran business community.

Together with the Andorra Bar Association, she has been one of the greatest champions of alternative means of dispute resolution, promoting business mediation and pushing for the creation of the TAPA.

She is presently a member of the Assembly and of the Arbitral Board.

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French and English.

> Assembly
Miguel Cases

Miguel Cases is co-founder and co-head of the law firm Cases & Lacambra. He leads the firm’s markets and financial services group.

He has extensive experience in advising credit institutions and investment services companies and regularly acts as a legal adviser to leading national and international financial institutions, public authorities and investment funds, both public and private, in Spain and in the Principality of Andorra.

He is a regular speaker at international business schools on subjects in his area of expertise, such as financial instruments and products dealing with cash flow. He has been involved in the drafting of the framework documentation applicable to financial instruments, to the regulation of contractual compensation agreements and financial guarantees and other recent financial sector rules.

Besides, he has also acted as counsel of parties in numerous domestic and international arbitration cases.

Appointed by the Andorra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services as its representative, he is presently a member of the Assembly.

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French and English.

> Assembly
Jordi Daban

Since 2008, Jordi Daban has run Daguisa Hotels, a family-owned hotel group with more than 60 years of history, which has become a benchmark in the Andorran hotel sector for its quality, innovation and management. It is the second largest hotel chain in Andorra by number of beds (1,380) and includes two city hotels trading under the Louvre Group brand name and three mountain hotels located at the foot of the best ski slopes and open during the winter.

After finishing his studies in law at the University of Barcelona, he joined the family business in 1995, becoming CEO in 2008.

In 1998 he was appointed as spokesman for the association of Andorran hoteliers (Unión Hotelera de Andorra) and, from 2001 to 2005, he was a member of the Andorran Parliament (Conseller general).

His main interest in the progress of the country and the hotel industry led him, in 2009, to begin a long collaboration with the Andorra Chamber of Commerce as a member of its Executive Committee, a position which he still holds.

He is presently a member of the Assembly.

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French and English.

> Assembly
Joan Monegal

Joan Monegal holds a Law degree from the University of Barcelona (1986).

On completing his studies, he joined the Andorran justice administration service, acting as court clerk in the First Instance Courts (Batllia Episcopal) and the former High Court (Tribunal Superior de la Mitra) of the Principality of Andorra.

In 1993, he was appointed judge (batlle) of the Principality of Andorra, assigned to the Civil Division of the First Instance Courts (Batllia d'Andorra), then later assuming functions in criminal matters, before ending his judicial career as a senior judge in Andorra’s highest criminal court (Tribunal de Corts).

In 1997, he founded his own law firm in Andorra, where he currently practices as a lawyer specialising in civil and administrative matters.

During the course of his long career, he has had the opportunity to advise some of Andorra’s most prestigious institutions, such as Andorra’s Social Security Agency (Caja Andorrana de Seguridad Social: CASS), the current Andorran Financial Authority (Autoridad Financiera d’Andorra: AFA) and the Government of Andorra itself.

In 2001, he became a member of the Andorran Parliament, an office which he held until 2005.

He is a member of the Legislative Committee on Regional Planning (Comisión Legislativa de Ordenación Territorial) and the Justice Home Affairs Committee, as well as a member of the mixed parliamentary group at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Committee on Regional Policy and Land-use Planning (Comisión Legislativa de Política Territorial y Urbanismo).

He has authored various publications and, notably, the book entitled Alternatives per al futur d’Andorra (2000).

He is presently a member of the Assembly.

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French and English.

> Assembly · Arbitral Board
Marc Maestre

Marc Maestre holds a Master’s degree in administration and management of compagnies (2004) and a Master’s degree in Business law from the Toulouse 1 Capitole University (2004). He also holds a Master’s degree in international commercial law and management from the ESSEC Business School in Paris (2005).

Besides, he has graduated in Medicine at the University of Barcelona (2020).

After completing his studies, he created his own firm in Andorra, in 2005, where he provides services in the areas of criminal, commercial and tax law.

In 2016, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Andorra Bar Association, an office which he has held until 2020.

He is presently a member of the Assembly and of the Arbitral Board.

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French and English.

> Arbitral Board
Jordi Sellarès

Jordi Sellarés holds a Law degree from the University of Barcelona (1984-1989), a Master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge (1990-1991) and a Doctorate in law from the University of Barcelona (2002).

Since 1991 he teaches public international law, as Associate Professor, at the University of Barcelona and at the ESADE Law Faculty.

After practising as a lawyer for a few years, he has been working since 1993 with the Spanish Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, first as a technical adviser (1993-2004) and, thereafter, as Deputy Secretary (2004-2008), Director (2008-2011) and, currently, as Secretary General, combining those activities with his teaching both at the University of Barcelona and at ESADE.

He has also been a legal adviser to the Andorran delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), from January to April 2004; and visiting Professor at the University of Puerto Rico (January to March 2007), at the University Rafael Landívar University (Guatemala, August 2007) and at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies (London, January to April 2011).

He is presently a member of the Arbitral Board

Languages: Catalan, Spanish, French, English, German and Norwegian.