Executive summary:
At the XXIX Ibero-American Summit in November 2024, the 22 Ibero-American leaders recognized the CIAM-CIAR alliance as a key institution for arbitration involving Ibero-American parties, highlighting its role in fostering regional economic integration and leveraging Spanish and Portuguese as unifying languages. Established in 2024, the alliance consolidates CIAR’s activities with CIAM, formed in 2020 through the merger of Spain’s leading arbitration institutions, to offer cost-effective, culturally aligned, and high-quality arbitration services as an alternative to traditional hubs like the France. or Switzerland. Governed by updated CIAM-CIAR Rules, the Centre emphasizes transparency and efficiency, while advancing professional expertise through training programmes led by its experienced leadership team.
At the XXIX Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in Ecuador from 13–14 November 2024, the 22 Ibero-American leaders expressed unanimous recognition of the strategic alliance established between the International Arbitration Centre of Madrid (CIAM) and the Ibero-American Arbitration Centre (CIAR).
This recognition has been accorded due to its status as a reference institution for arbitration involving Ibero-American parties, and it was formally documented in Summit's final action programme (item 35). In this context, the alliance has been described as a significant development in the field of regional dispute resolution.
By endorsing the CIAM-CIAR alliance, the Heads of State and Government underscored the pivotal role of arbitration in fostering regional economic integration and resolving cross-border commercial disputes. Furthermore, the importance of Spanish and Portuguese as fundamental languages for the reinforcement of economic ties was acknowledged, reflecting the cultural and linguistic bonds that are shared across Ibero-American nations.
The CIAM-CIAR alliance confers considerable benefits in terms of cultural proximity, efficiency and economic competitiveness, thereby offering a distinctive alternative to arbitration in non-Ibero-American jurisdictions.
The estimation is that approximately 20% of international contracts involving Ibero-American parties could be subject to the jurisdiction of CIAM-CIAR. Furthermore, the Centre's capacity to conduct arbitrations in a more expeditious and cost-effective manner than in traditional arbitration hubs, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland, constitutes an additional factor reinforcing its attractiveness.
The CIAM-CIAR Alliance History and Mission
The origins of the CIAM-CIAR alliance can be traced back to the 2014 Summit of Ibero-American Heads of State in Veracruz, where leaders instructed the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and the Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-America (COMJIB) to explore the possibility of establishing a private Ibero-American Arbitration Centre. The objective was to put in place an alternative mechanism for the resolution of commercial disputes within the region, in addition to existing global arbitration frameworks.
Consequently, in March 2015, the Ibero-American Arbitration Centre (CIAR) was formally inaugurated, with the backing of Bar Associations, Chambers of Commerce, and Business Conferences across the 22 Ibero-American countries.
In 2020, the CIAM was established through the consolidation of Spain’s three most prominent arbitration institutions: the Madrid Court of Arbitration (CAM), the Spanish Court of Arbitration (CEA), and the Civil and Commercial Arbitration Court (CIMA), in collaboration with the Madrid Bar Association. The CIAM concentrated its efforts on the administration of international cases, with the objective of promoting equality and unifying arbitration practices in Spanish and Portuguese among Ibero-American parties, drawing upon shared cultural and legal traditions.
On 8 March 2024, CIAM and CIAR entered into a strategic alliance with the objective of consolidating their respective expertise and resources, thereby establishing CIAM-CIAR as the preeminent arbitration centre for Ibero-America. As a result of the alliance, CIAR transferred all of its arbitration-related activities and dispute resolution mechanisms to CIAM-CIAR, effectively merging its operations to create a singular, unified institution.
Strategic Objectives and Operational Framework
As explained by CIAM-CIAR's president, José María Alonso, approximately 25% of international arbitrations involve Ibero-American parties.
However, historically, 90% of such arbitrations have been conducted in jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, or Switzerland. Alonso posited that conducting these arbitrations in non-Ibero-American jurisdictions, where proceedings are often more expensive and detached from the cultural and linguistic context of the parties, is unnecessary. According to Alonso, CIAM-CIAR offers arbitration services of equivalent or superior quality, thereby providing a competitive and culturally aligned alternative for Ibero-American disputes.
The CIAM-CIAR arbitration proceedings are governed by the CIAM Rules, which were adopted in 2020 and subsequently updated in 2024 under the unified name CIAM-CIAR Rules. The objective of these rules is to facilitate the processes in question, whilst guaranteeing transparency, efficiency and fairness in arbitration.
Furthermore, CIAM-CIAR is dedicated to fostering the growth of expertise in the field of arbitration. Furthermore, the Centre offers an Advanced Practice Course for Arbitrators, which features renowned international arbitrators as instructors. To further expand professional capacity, the Centre is engaged in a collaborative endeavour with the University of Salamanca and Tirant lo Blanch to establish a postgraduate course in international arbitration. This initiative is designed to provide specialised training to the next generation of arbitration professionals.
The Centre is led by José María Alonso Puig, who serves as President, and Marta Lalaguna, who serves as Secretary General. The leadership team is completed by the Vice-Presidents Juan Serrada, Urquiola de Palacio, Javier Íscar de Hoyos, Elena Otero-Novas. This diverse and highly experienced team ensures robust governance and strategic direction for the Centre, thereby further solidifying its position as a leader in Ibero-American arbitration.
