Choice Of Court Amendment Bill

Parliament has on 14 April 2016 passed the Choice of Court Agreements Bill (the "Bill").

The Bill seeks to give effect to the Convention on Choice of Court Agreements concluded at the Hague on 30 June 2005 (the "Convention"). The Convention establishes an international legal regime for upholding exclusive choice of court agreements in international civil or commercial cases, and governs the recognition and enforcement of judgments amongst parties to the Convention.

Key Implications

The Convention entered into force on 1 October 2015. Under the Convention's regime, parties will have greater assurance that:

1. the court explicitly chosen by them under an exclusive choice of court agreement, and not some other court, will hear their dispute; and