Arbitration in Austria

Austria has become one of the top arbitration venues worldwide. Traditionally, Austria has served as the place of arbitration for disputes between parties from Central and Eastern Europe. These days, users from all over the world agree on arbitration in Austria.

There are many reasons to choose Austria as place of arbitration:

  • Austria is an arbitration-friendly forum.

  • Austria has adopted a modern and arbitration-friendly arbitration law fully in line with UNCITRAL Model Law. Austrian courts are arbitration friendly which accommodates the parties' needs (applicable law, language, arbitrators, etc.) without compromising essential procedural safeguards. Arbitration related proceedings are usually limited to a single instance.

  • Austria is an esteemed venue for arbitrations administered by many major institutions, including ICC, DIS, LCIA.

  • The International Arbitral Centre of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber ("VIAC"), one of the leading international arbitration institutions, offers high-level services tailored to the specific needs of users from around the world.

  • The Vienna Rules 2013 contain a modern set of rules at the forefront of international arbitration practice. The rules maintain the flexible character of arbitration and eliminated provision based on national law.

  • The Austrian legal framework and the Vienna Rules are well tried and well documented. Every year the Austrian Yearbook on International Arbitration provides a collection of articles on international arbitration by leading practitioners and academics.

  • Austria benefits from a strong academic background.

  • The law faculties of all major universities, including the University of Vienna, University of Economics Vienna, University of Salzburg, University of Innsbruck, University of Graz, Johannes Kepler University Linz offer various programs on commercial arbitration and investment arbitration. The faculties include prominent academics and renowned practitioners.

  • Under the auspices of the dean of the Law Faculty of Vienna University Paul Oberhammer the Austrian Arbitration Academy offers every year a two-week intensive academic education program on arbitration within the Summer University for both regular students and young practitioners.

  • Annually, at the occasion of the Vienna Arbitrations Days participants from numerous jurisdictions around the globe meet for two days of discussion on leading topics in international arbitration.

  • Every year the "Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot” brings together outstanding students from more than 330 international universities with leading practitioners from all over the world in Vienna.