Originally from American Review of International Arbitration - ARIA

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In Italian legal terminology, the expression "international arbitration" is used in a double sense: first, to indicate an institution specifically created for the resolution of private controversies (primarily commercial) that are connected to more than one legal system, and second, with a certain imprecision but great descriptive accuracy, to indicate "domestic" arbitration used for the resolution of controversies of an international nature.

The Italian legal system has never had a specific regime for international arbitration, and has had limited experience with the use of domestic arbitration to resolve international controversies.
During the last few years, a two-fold trend seems to be steadily emerging: the improvement of domestic arbitration, which enhances its utility in resolving both domestic and international commercial disputes; and the specific regulation of "international" arbitration through the introduction of a new arbitral institution to the Italian legal system.

This article presents a review of the status of Italian arbitration from its recent past up to the present, followed by a discussion of various reform projects and their impact.