The European Convention on International Commercial Arbitration 1961 (ECICA) is a multilateral treaty regulating certain aspects of international arbitral proceedings. Some of its provisions cover issues also governed by the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards 1958, also known as the New York Convention (NYC), which was concluded three years earlier than the ECICA. However, the ECICA’s scope is broader than the NYC’s as it regulates issues such as the appointment of arbitrators, the applicable law, objections to jurisdiction and competing competences of state courts.

The ECICA originates from 1950s, when the idea was originally proposed, but it wasn’t concluded until 21 April 1961 and entered into force in 1964. At the moment, it has 31 members, including most EU states and several non-EU members such as Russia.