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International Commercial Mediation and Arbitration for Belgian Companies
12 October
ICC Belgium is organising an event during national Mediation Week, starting 12 October, on international dispute resolution for Belgian companies. When a cross-border deal goes wrong, litigation abroad is rarely the fastest or cheapest way out. We’ll show how ICC Mediation helps companies resolve international disputes on their own terms preserving the commercial relationship, controlling cost and timing, and keeping matters confidential. We’ll explain how the procedure works in practice, share the experience of companies that have already used it, and show how mediation connects seamlessly to ICC arbitration when a negotiated outcome is out of reach, with a look at the revised ICC rules in force since 1 June 2026.
PROGRAMME
2:00 pm – 2:10 pm | Welcome and opening
By Yves Herinckx, Chair BE commiteee on Arbitration & ADR
2:10 pm – 2:50 pm | ICC Mediation: why opt for amicable resolution, and how does it work in practice?
By Alya Ladjimi, ADR counsel, ICC Centre for ADR, and Dirk De Meulemeester (DMDB law)
Why parties choose amicable dispute resolution, and how the procedure works in practice. A key point: under international rules, you can designate an institution’s rules in your contract. Explanation of the procedure under the ICC Mediation Rules:
- The costs: filing fee, administrative expenses and the mediator’s fees;
- The choice and appointment of the mediator (proposal by the parties versus appointment by the Centre);
- The credit mechanism towards a subsequent ICC arbitration, etc.
2:50 – 3:30 pm | Panel 1: the mediators’ perspective
A panel of experienced mediators on what makes mediation work in international disputes.
Moderator: Marco Schoups, lawyer and meditor
Panellists:
- Michel Gonda, GONDA
- Helga Van Peer, HELGA VAN PEER
- Guillaume Croisant, lawyer at Linklaters
3:30 pm – 3:45 | Networking break
3:45 – 4:15 pm | Panel 2: the business perspective
In-house counsel and companies with experience in amicable dispute resolution
Moderator: Sofie Verlinden, Chief Legal Officer at DEME
Panellists:
- Frederic Van Hoorebeke, CFO at Lantis
- Stéphanie Van der Mersch, Legal Counsel at CML Construction Services SRL (Service company of STRABAG SE)
- Tbc
4:15 pm – 4:40 pm | From mediation to arbitration
What happens when mediation does not lead to an agreement, and how ICC mediation and arbitration connect as one offer. Brief outline of ICC arbitration + the amended rules in force since 1 June 2026. Hybrid procedures and mediation windows (a one-month window to mediate); risks and costs.
Speaker: Maarten Draye (Draye law)
4:40 pm – 4:45 pm | Closing remarks (tbc)
4:45 pm | End
When?
Monday 12 October from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm
Where?
ICC Belgium c/o VBO-FEB
Rue Ravenstein 4
1000 Brussels
Fee?
Free of charge but registration is mandatory
Cancellation policy?
Please note that if you cancel your participation later than Friday 9 October at 3 pm, you will be charged a fee of €50. Cancellations made prior to this deadline will not incur any charges.
Registration deadline: Friday 9 October at 3 pm.