ISRAEL 13

Supreme Court of Israel, 21 April 2021

(Luminati Networks Ltd. V. B.I. Science Ltd.)

21 - 04 - 2021

ISRAEL 13

Yearbook Yearbook Commercial Arbitration, S. W. Schill (ed.), Vol. XLVII (2022)
Jurisdiction Israel
Summary

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of what is the proper method for enforcing foreign arbitral awards which have been certified by a competent court in the seat of the arbitration, i.e., whether by seeking recognition and enforcement of the award or by seeking recognition and enforcement of the foreign judgment certifying the award. It clarified that the proper process is provided under section 29a of the Israeli Arbitration Law, 5728-1968 and in the New York Convention; it is only in rare and exceptional cases that the recognition and enforcement of a foreign award may be pursued by seeking enforcement of the foreign judgment certifying it, through the procedure set out in the Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Law, 5718-1958.

The Supreme Court also explained the phrase “becomes binding” in Article V(1)(e) of the New York Convention means that it is no longer possible to file an appeal from the award in the arbitration proceeding, as distinct from an appeal before a court. The Court further confirmed that (i) once the arbitral award is set aside at the seat of the arbitration, it should not be recognized and enforced under the New York Convention, except in exceptional cases (for example, the decision to set it aside was made by a judicial forum that is not autonomous and independent); and (ii) certification of the arbitral award in the seat of the arbitration does not automatically lead to recognition and enforcement by virtue of the New York Convention. However, rejection of claims pertaining to the validity of the arbitral award in a motion to certify or set it aside could give rise to cause of action estoppel that bars identical claims from being raised in the opposition to enforcement and certification of the arbitral award in Israel.

Related topics
301

The court discusses the principle that the procedure for the enforcement of awards under the Convention is governed by the lex fori, as well as procedural issues (such as the competent enforcement court) not falling under the specific cases of ¶¶ 302-307.

Procedure for enforcement in general
500A Residual power to enforce notwithstanding existence of ground for refusal
501

The court discusses questions relating to the general approach taken by the Convention to the grounds for refusal of recognition and enforcement, including its pro-enforcement bias, as well as the system of the Convention, under which recognition and enforcement may only be denied on seven listed grounds and the petitioner has only the obligations set out in Art. IV.

Grounds are exhaustive
514 Ground e: Award not binding, suspended or set aside - "Binding"
515

Award not binding, suspended or set aside: The court discusses the conditions under which an award that has merged into a court judgment in the country of origin can still be enforced as an award under the Convention, and whether a decision granting recognition under the Convention can be enforced as a foreign court judgment in a third country.

Merger of award into judgment
516

Award not binding, suspended or set aside: The court discusses the difference between the exclusive jurisdiction to set aside an award (primary jurisdiction), which belongs to the courts of the country of origin of the award, and the jurisdiction of all other courts to recognize and enforce the award (secondary jurisdiction); issues relating to the determination of the “competent authority”; and whether an award that has been set aside in the country of origin can be enforced in another State under the Convention.

"Set aside"
701

More-favorable right provision: The court discusses issues relating to the more-favorable right provision in general, including who may invoke it, and when.

More-favourable-right provision in general
ISRAEL 13