On 29 September 2023 took place the third edition of the Balkan Arbitration Conference (BAC). The BAC brings together arbitration lawyers, general counsel, forensic accountants, expert witnesses, arbitrators and clients from the region and more broadly. It is a forum to help build cooperation and develop the use and practice of arbitration in the Balkan region.
ArbitralWomen member Ana Stanič (E&A Law Director) spoke on ‘Investment Arbitration and the Balkans’, together with Paul Key KC, Barrister at Essex Court Chambers (London, UK) (moderator) and co-panellists Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky, Partner with BakerHostetler (New York City & Washington DC, US), Samira Sulejmanović, Head of the Department for Bilateral Trade Relations at Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Sebastian Lukic, Attorney at Schoenherr (Vienna, Austria).
Samira Sulejmanović kicked off the discussion by explaining the complexity in which Bosnia, as an EU accession country, finds itself in vis-à-vis the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). Sebastian Lukic drew attention to, amongst other things, the possibility of Bosnia and Serbia attracting investors who want to take advantage of their non-EU status, whereas Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky brought the investor perspective to the debate. Given her extensive experience in arbitration and the region, Ana Stanič discussed the specificities of investment arbitration in the Balkans, in light of energy transition.
Submitted by Ana Stanič, ArbitralWomen member, Founder, E&A Law, London, UK