When choosing to arbitrate in Switzerland, the parties have an option which seems to be often overlooked. They can limit, even exclude altogether, the grounds to challenge awards in court (Swiss Private International Law Act, Art. 192).

This section reviews developments concerning the Federal Act of October 6, 1995 on Cartels and Other Restraints of Competition (the "Competition Act"), which is enforced by the Federal Competition Commission ("FCC"). Appeals against decisions of the FCC are heard by the Appeal Commission for Competition Matters (the "Appeal Commission").

issue is whether interim awards have to be challenged immediately or only together with the final award. For many years, the answer turned on whether an interim award resulted in "irreparable damage" to a party. The Swiss Supreme Court has recently changed this practice. The answer now depends on whether an interim award is characterized as a partial award or as an interlocutory decision.

The Swiss Competition Commission fines IFPI Switzerland and Phononet for preventing parallel imports.

An arbitral tribunal requested several advances towards its fees and expenses. Claimant paid the requested advances, but complained that they were excessive and requested an accounting. The tribunal eventually disclosed its hourly rate and the number of hours worked. Claimant claimed that the hourly rate was excessive and eventually referred the issue to the arbitration institution.

In a recent decision, the Swiss Supreme Court (the "Supreme Court") confirmed that that setting aside proceedings are also available against an additional award, including the refusal to issue an additional award.

International arbitral tribunals are often requested to construe legal concepts that have no precise definition in the law governing the merits of the case. In so doing, arbitral tribunals might seek guidance from other legal systems than the law governing the case.

By changing the arbitration clause of a framework agreement, the parties did not without more change the arbitration clauses of connected contracts between the same parties if these connected contracts contained their own, different arbitration clauses.

On January 4 2011, the competition commission announced that it has launched a preliminary investigation into a cooperation agreement between Swisscom and the city of St Gallen to extend the city's fibre-optic network.

The Swiss Supreme Court confirmed recently its practice of constructive interpretation of pathological or ambiguous arbitration clauses.

This article reviews developments concerning the Federal Act of October 6, 1995 on Cartels and Other Restraints of Competition (the "Competition Act"), which is enforced by the Federal Competition Commission ("FCC"). Appeals against decisions of the FCC are heard by the Appeal Commission for Competition Matters (the "Appeal Commission").