Counsel, A&O Shearman
Associate, A&O Shearman
On Thursday, 5 June 2025, CEPANI members convened at the FEB/VBO for its Annual General Meeting.
Benoît Kohl (CEPANI President) and Emma Van Campenhoudt (CEPANI Secretary General) presented the annual accounts and statistics for 2024, as well as the budget for 2025. They also highlighted key events organised by CEPANI and CEPANI40. The 2024 annual report and 2024 statistics are available on the CEPANI website.
In 2024, CEPANI reinforced its role as the leading ADR institution in Belgium. Highlights from last year include organising CEPANI’s annual colloquium on construction and arbitration, launching C-BUILD as a specialised division for resolving construction disputes and promoting Brussels as an arbitration hub through participation in Paris Arbitration Week, London International Dispute Week, the princely economic mission to Norway and Luxembourg Arbitration Day. Benoît Kohl also summarised the progress made by CEPANI’s various working groups over the last year, in areas such as construction, the CEPANI dispute resolution centre, diversity and inclusion, and especially greener arbitrations with the adoption of draft clauses for the terms of reference and procedural orders and the award of the Ecodyn label. Special mention went to the initiatives of CEPANI40 over the last year, including the celebratory summer drinks to mark its 20th anniversary.
The general meeting was followed by an insightful keynote speech by Ms Ank Santens, Partner at White & Case New York. Ms Santens painted a clear picture of the current global political and economic landscape, identifying both the challenges and opportunities for international arbitration. As the need for a fair, independent and impartial mechanism for resolving cross-border disputes is higher than ever, Ms Santens underscored the importance of adopting uniform standards and procedural safeguards to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of arbitration. Emphasising the role of counsel in discouraging frivolous post-award challenges, she advocated for greater transparency and increased openness from arbitrators, particularly regarding potential conflicts of interest, and encouraged the wider application of standards such as the IBA Rules. She also recommended the use of midstream conferences to foster mediation opportunities and to keep proceedings dynamic.
Following the speech, members were invited to a reception, providing a welcome opportunity to continue discussions and to reconnect.
