Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): Introduction and Notable Cases

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is an international organization that provides dispute resolution services through arbitration, conciliation, and other forms of dispute resolution. It was established in 1899 and is based in The Hague, Netherlands. The PCA is not a court in the traditional sense, but rather an institution that facilitates the resolution of disputes between states, international organizations, and private parties. It has a panel of over 150 arbitrators from a variety of legal systems around the world, and it can administer cases in a wide range of languages. The PCA is often used to resolve disputes relating to international investment, trade, and other areas of international law.

Notable Cases

There have been many notable cases that have been resolved through the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Some examples include:

1. The Arbitration between the United States of America and Nicaragua (1986) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between the US and Nicaragua over the mining of Nicaraguan ports by the US.
2. The Arbitration between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2013) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between Russia and the Netherlands over Russian authorities’ arrest and detention of a Dutch-flagged vessel.
3. The Arbitration between the Republic of Ecuador and the Republic of Peru (1998) – The PCA was used to resolve a border dispute between Ecuador and Peru.
4. The Arbitration between the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Government of the Italian Republic (2012) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between Luxembourg and Italy over the construction of a gas pipeline.
5. The Arbitration between the Government of the Argentine Republic and the Repsol YPF S.A. (2012) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between Argentina and the Spanish company Repsol over the expropriation of Repsol’s assets in Argentina.

India’s case at the permanent court of arbitration

India has been involved in a number of cases at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Some examples include:

• The Arbitration between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1999) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between India and Pakistan over the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Kishenganga River.
• The Arbitration between the Republic of India and the Republic of Bangladesh (2014) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between India and Bangladesh over the sharing of water from the Teesta River.
• The Arbitration between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2014) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between India and the Netherlands over the expropriation of an Indian-owned plant in the Netherlands.
• The Arbitration between the Republic of India and the Republic of Cyprus (2015) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between India and Cyprus over the expropriation of an Indian-owned hotel in Cyprus.
• The Arbitration between the Republic of India and the Republic of Italy (2016) – The PCA was used to resolve a dispute between India and Italy over the killing of two Indian fishermen by Italian marines.