The premier institution in CEE/SEE. The Vienna International Arbitral Centre (“VIAC”) is the premier arbitral institution in Central and South-Eastern Europe, and one of the leading institutions globally. Benefiting from Austria’s historic role as a neutral gateway between East and West, VIAC has administered over 1,700 international disputes across all sectors and industries.

VIAC was established as an independent center in 1975 for the resolution of international commercial disputes, through arbitration and mediation. Since 2018, VIAC also administers domestic arbitrations in Austria; and as of 2021, VIAC has implemented a special set of rules for the settlement of investment disputes, bringing its expertise and flexibility to the effective resolution of disputes between states and state-owned entities and investors.

Modern, cost-effective and flexible. With its arbitration and mediation rules, VIAC offers a modern framework to resolve disputes. The Vienna Rules place a premium on flexible and cost-effective proceedings that incentivize arbitrators to provide high-quality and expeditious decision-making, while providing the parties with the assurance of tried-and-tested regulations and a highly-experienced and independent Board to safeguard the fairness of the arbitral process.

Thought leadership. VIAC plays an important role in defining, evolving and implementing best practices in all areas of arbitration, in the region and beyond. Engaged in a constant exchange with practitioners, commercial users and academics, VIAC is at the forefront of arbitral practice, including through its industry-leading commitment to diversity and the promotion of innovative and greener case management solutions.