法国仲裁制度的发展历程——从文艺复兴时期谈起

Historical Development of the French Arbitration System:A Discussion Starting from the Renaissance

在当代全球仲裁版图中,法国发挥着突出的影响力。法国仲裁制度经历了一个漫长而曲折的发展历程。从文艺复兴到法国大革命,法国王室颁布的关于仲裁的法令极少,法国法院保守的态度迫使仲裁朝着与司法相融合的方向发展。法国大革命时期,仲裁被短暂提升到一个前所未有的高度,以达到清洗旧制度遗留下来的保守的司法体系的目的。拿破仑法典化运动以来,仲裁逐渐沦为一种地位低于且受制于国家司法的例外程序,这种状况一直延续至20世纪初。1925年法国通过修订其商事法律,正式认可了仲裁条款的完整效力。从此,一系列支撑现代仲裁实践的关键制度,通过法国法院的重要案例,逐一得到确立。20世纪80年代初,法国仲裁法改革使法国仲裁制度走在时代的前头,并引领全球各国仲裁法的变革。经过近30年的积累,法国2011年再度修订其仲裁法,进一步巩固法国作为仲裁强国的地位。

France plays a prominent role in the global arena of modern arbitration.French arbitration system has evolved through a long and circuitous route. From the Renaissance to the French Revolution,the French royalty rarely issued a decree on arbitration. French courts took a very conservative approach to arbitration,which forced the latter to merge with the judiciary.During the French Revolution,arbitration was lifted to an unprecedentedly high level so as to purge the conservative judicial system left by the Ancient Regime. Since the Napoleon codification movement,arbitration was reduced to an exceptional procedure inferior to and restrained by state justice. The situation lasted until the beginning of the twentieth century.In 1925,France revised its commercial law to recognize the entire effect of arbitration clause. Since then,a series of essential principles underpinning modern arbitration has,through important cases of French courts,been established. In the early 1980s,the French arbitration law reform put French arbitration system at the forefront of the times,with many other countries following suit. After 30 years＇ accumulation,France revised its arbitration law again in 2011,with a view to enhancing its position as a major arbitration power.