Ex aequo et bono
Ex aequo et bono(Latinfor "according to the right and good" or "from equity and conscience" ) is aLatin phrasethat is used as a legalterm of art.In the context ofarbitration,it refers to the power of arbitrators to dispense with application of the law, if appropriate, and decide solely on what they consider to be fair and equitable in the case at hand.[1]However, a decisionex aequo et bonois distinguished from a decision on the basis of equity (equity intra legem) and even tribunals withex aequo et bonopowers generally consider the law too.[1]"Whereas an authorisation to decide a questionex aequo et bonois an authorisation to decide without deference to the rules of law, an authorisation to decide on a basis of equity does not dispense the judge from giving a decision based upon law, even though the law be modified ".[2]
Article 38(2) of theStatute of the International Court of Justice(ICJ) provides that the court may decide casesex aequo et bonoonly if the parties agree.[3]In 1984, the ICJ decided a case using "equitable criteria" in creating a boundary in the Gulf of Maine for Canada and the US.[4]This was not, however, in relation to Art. 38(2) which has never been invoked by the parties in a dispute before the ICJ.[1]It was an example of referring to 'equity' as a general principle of law under Art. 38 (1) (c).
Article 33 of theUnited Nations Commission on International Trade Law's Arbitration Rules (1976)[5]provides that the arbitrators shall consider only the applicable law unless the arbitral agreement allows the arbitrators to considerex aequo et bono,or asamiable compositeur,instead.[6]This rule is also expressed in many national and subnational arbitration laws such as section 22 of the Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 (NSW). It is also embodied under Section 28(2) of the Indian arbitration law - Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 ( "The arbitral tribunal shall decideex aequo et bonoor asamicable compositeuronly if the parties have expressly authorised it to do so ")
On the other hand, the constituent treaty of the Eritrea–Ethiopia Claims Commission explicitly forbids the body from interpretingex aequo et bono.
Ex aequo et bonopowers are occasionally granted toinvestor-state tribunalsdeciding disputes between states and foreign investors, such as inBenvenuti & Bonfant v Republic of the Congo.[1]
Ex aequo
[edit]The phraseex aequo(withoutet bono) is used to mean "equally placed", often in the context of competition winners.[7]
See also
[edit]- Equity (law)– similar concept incommon lawjurisdictions
- Ius strictum– opposite concept inRoman law
- Lex mercatoria
Notes
[edit]- ^abcdTiti, Catharine(2021)."The Function of Equity in International Law".Oxford University Press. pp. 139–160.ISBN9780198868002.Retrieved2024-09-28.
- ^O'Connell, International Law (2nd ed., 1970), Vol. 1, p. 14.
- ^"Statute of the Court".International Court of Justice. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-06-29.Retrieved2010-06-30.
- ^"Case concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Maine Area"(PDF).International Court of Justice. October 12, 1984.
- ^"UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules"(PDF).United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2021-02-11.Retrieved2010-12-03.
- ^"Article 33 – Applicable law, amiable compositeur".UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (1976) United Nations.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-12-02.Retrieved2006-08-13.
- ^The Chambers Dictionary(1998)."ex aequo",p. 561.ISBN8186062254
Further reading
[edit]- John Bouvier,A law dictionary,Philadelphia, Childs & Peterson, 1858
- Josephine K. Mason,The Role of Ex Aequo et Bono in International Border Settlement: A Critique of the Sudanese Abyei Arbitration,Social Science Research Network, 2010; 20 Am. Rev. Int'l Arb. 519 (2009).
- Christoph Schreuer, 'Decisions Ex Aequo et Bono under the ICSID Convention', 11 ICSID Review (1996)
- Catharine Titi,The Function of Equity in International Law,Oxford University Press (2021), chapter 7 ('Jurisdictionex aequo et bono').
- Leon Trakman,Ex Aequo et Bono: Demystifying an Ancient Concept,8 Chi. J. Int'l L. 621 (2008).
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