Originally from The Swedish Arbitration Act of 1999, Five Years On: A Critical Review of Strengths and Weaknesses

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I. INTRODUCTION

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (UNCITRAL Model Law) was adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on 21 June 1985. However, as early as in 1929, the Swedish Arbitration Act (SFS 1929:145) and the Foreign Arbitration Agreements and Awards Act (SFS 1929: 147) came into operation and played an important role in regulating the arbitration activities that took place in Sweden. Inspired by the UNCITRAL Model Law while perpetuating features of the 1929 Act, the Swedish Arbitration Act 1999 (Swedish Arbitration Act) was promulgated and came into force on 1 April 1999 at which time the new Act replaced the 1929 Acts. 

Alongside sharing similarities in the basic principles of arbitration, the Swedish Arbitration Act 1999 also introduced many new concepts. Five years later, it is of actual significance to compare the two statutes since such comparison itself may reveal the local features of the Swedish Arbitration Act 1999 and its roles in Swedish arbitration.