On 25 May 2024, the Council of the International Bar Association (IBA) approved the new version of the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration. The introductory section of this new version of the Guidelines expressly states that one of its objectives –as was the case with the 2004 and 2014 versions– is “to assist parties, counsel, arbitrators, institutions, and courts in dealing with these important questions of impartiality and independence”. The High Court of Justice of Madrid (Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid), as well as other Spanish regional High Courts of Justice, have referred to the Guidelines when deciding on issues relating to conflicts of interest in arbitration. This article analyses the most significant changes introduced by the 2024 version of the Guidelines, as well as some of the rulings issued by the High Court of Justice of Madrid on these issues so far in 2024.
Iurgium [previously Spain Arbitration Review]