2010 Draft UAE Federal Arbitration Law - Evolution or Revolution

The draft of the Federal Arbitration Law (the "Draft Law") has recently been released for consultation and, absent robust objections from the legal community and with the exception of minor amendments, is likely to become law within the next 12 months. The Draft Law, once enacted, will repeal the current provisions of the Civil Procedure Code governing arbitration and will govern arbitrations conducted pursuant to UAE procedural law as well as the rules of the arbitral centre under which the arbitration is being conducted (for example the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliated and Arbitration Centre or Dubai International Arbitration Centre). The Draft Law is based largely on the Egyptian model (Law 27 of 1994 Promulgating the Law Concerning Arbitration in Civil and Commercial Matters). This article will examine some of the key provisions of the Draft Law and consider the potential impact it will have on arbitration in the UAE (on the presumption the law is likely to be