Conciliation

Conciliation

Conciliation is the out-of-court settlement of a legal dispute through a compromise proposed by a neutral body - the conciliator. Both parties are free to accept or reject this compromise proposal. Only if both parties agree to the conciliator's proposal does the proposal become binding. If the conciliator's proposal is rejected, the conciliation has failed and the parties can pursue other dispute resolution procedures - e.g. arbitration, proceedings before the state courts or mediation.

FAQ

TO CONCILIATION

Bei der Schlichtung erarbeitet der Schlichter nach Anhörung der Parteien einen (schriftlichen) Vorschlag zur einvernehmlichen Regelung zwischen den Parteien; die Parteien sind frei, diesen Vorschlag anzunehmen oder abzulehnen. Findet der Vorschlag nicht die Zustimmung der Parteien, ist das Schlichtungsverfahren ohne Ergebnis beendet. In einem Schiedsgerichtsverfahren entscheidet das Schiedsgericht endgültig und bindend über einen Streit.  Der Schiedsspruch ist in der Regel vollstreckbar. Die GMAA bietet für beide Verfahrensarten Regularien an. In der Praxis wird jedoch ganz überwiegend das GMAA-Schiedsgerichtsverfahren gewählt, auch deswegen, weil (anders als in den Common Law Ländern, also insbesondere England und USA) in Deutschland zum Schiedsgerichtsverfahren auch der Versuch einer Schlichtung gehört.

Der Schlichter macht in seinem Schlichterspruch einen Vorschlag zu einer gütlichen Einigung. Ein Mediator dagegen unterstützt die Parteien dabei, selbst eine gütliche Lösung zu erarbeiten. Darüber hinaus ist eine Mediation dann besonders sinnvoll, wenn mehr als zwei Parteien an einem Konflikt wirtschaftlich beteiligt sind.

Conciliation Clauses

A. Separate Conciliation Clauses

"In respect of any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Contract, conciliation proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Conciliation of the German Maritime Arbitration Association."

B. Combined Conciliation and Arbitration Clause

"Prior to the commencement of arbitration proceedings all disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract shall be submitted to conciliation in accordance with the Conciliation Rules of  of the German Maritime Arbitration Association. All disputes remaining after the conclusion  of the conciliation shall be decided by an arbitral tribunal in accordance with the Rules of Arbitration of the German Maritime Arbitration Association."

 

Conciliation Rules

The conciliator shall be appointed by both parties. At the request of either or both parties, the Chairman of the GMAA Board shall propose one or more conciliators for selection.

Before accepting the office of conciliator by concluding an agreement in accordance with § 4, the conciliator shall disclose to the parties all circumstances that are likely to justify distrust of his impartiality. The same applies to all circumstances that arise after acceptance of the office.

The conciliator is bound to impartiality and confidentiality.

The conciliator shall conclude a written agreement with the parties, which shall regulate the following:

4.1 Designation of the parties and their legal representatives and agents.

4.2 Designation of the dispute.

4.3 Agreement on the place of the conciliation and the language of the proceedings.

4.4 The date by which the conciliation is to be completed.

4.5 The applicability of these Rules and any supplementary or different rules.

4.6 The amount and due date of the conciliator's fee.

The conciliator shall determine the procedure of the conciliation at his own discretion, taking into account the requests of the parties. After conclusion of the agreement in accordance with § 4, he may request the parties to set out the subject matter of the dispute and the points in dispute in brief written statements. He may also request further written statements at any time.

The conciliation proceedings shall be conducted expeditiously. The parties shall promptly provide the conciliator with the information and documents requested by  him.

The conciliator may make proposals for the settlement of the dispute at any stage of the proceedings. The proposals do not have to be reasoned.

If the conciliation proceedings lead to an agreement on the settlement of the dispute, the parties shall conclude a written agreement to this effect.

The conciliation procedure shall terminate if it has not resulted in a written agreement in accordance with § 8 within the time agreed under § 4.4 or if the conciliator or one of the parties has declared in writing to the parties or the other party and the conciliator that the conciliation has failed.

In the period between the conclusion of the agreement under  § 4 and the expiry of two months after the end of the conciliation proceedings under § 9, the running of all time limits concerning the subject matter of the claims forming the subject matter of the conciliation proceedings shall be suspended, unless this is precluded by the applicable law.

Die Parteien verpflichten sich, in der Zeit zwischen Abschluss der Vereinbarung gemäß § 4 und dem Ende des Schlichtungsverfahrens gemäß § 9 den Gegenstand des Schlichtungsverfahrens betreffende Ansprüche oder Rechte nicht zum Gegenstand eines Schiedsgerichts- oder Gerichtsverfahrens zu machen. Soweit zum Zeitpunkt des Abschlusses der Schlichtungsvereinbarung gemäß § 4 ein Schiedsgerichts- oder Gerichtsverfahren bereits läuft, werden die Parteien das Ruhen des Schiedsgerichts- oder Gerichtsverfahrens beantragen, soweit das entsprechende Verfahrensrecht dies zulässt. Maßnahmen des einstweiligen Rechtsschutzes sind von dieser Regelung ausgenommen.

 

If a matter of arbitration relates in whole or in part to the subject matter of the conciliation, the conciliator  shall not accept an arbitrator's office.

 

The parties undertake not to call the conciliator as a witness in any subsequent arbitration or court proceedings for facts disclosed to him during the conciliation proceedings.

The parties further undertake to maintain confidentiality with regard to all statements made during the arbitration proceedings and documents or other evidence submitted by the respective other party during the arbitration proceedings. These may only be used in subsequent arbitration or court proceedings to the extent that they have become known to or come into the possession of the party using them independently of the conciliation or the other party has consented to their use.

Upon conclusion of the conciliation proceedings, the parties shall return all mutually provided documents and destroy the records and copies made for the conciliation.

§ 16 Conciliator's fee

Unless otherwise agreed, the following shall apply to the conciliator's fee:

16.1 The conciliator shall be entitled to a reasonable time fee and reimbursement of expenses.

16.2 In the absence of an agreement on a reasonable hourly fee, this shall be determined by the chairman of the GMAA at the request of one of the parties or the conciliator at his reasonable discretion.

16.3 The conciliator shall be entitled to a reasonable advance on costs.

16.4 The parties shall be jointly and severally liable to the conciliator.

Conciliation Costs

The GMAA does not provide a fee schedule for conciliators. The remuneration of the conciliator is to be freely negotiated between the parties on the one hand and the conciliator on the other; it should be agreed in writing in advance.

Here you can find the members of the GMAA who are willing to act as Conciliators.

You have the option  to limit the number of corresponding members with the help of search words.