Enhancing Singapore's Offerings as An International Dispute Resolution Hub with the Singapore International Commercial Court (International Committee) Bill

SINGAPORE,Oct. 18, 2024/PRNewswire/ -- The Singapore International Commercial Court (International Committee) Bill was introduced for First Reading inSingapore'sParliament on14 October 2024.

The Bill seeks to establish an International Committee of the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) inSingaporeto hear prescribed civil appeals and related proceedings from prescribed foreign jurisdictions. The SICC is a division of the General Division of the High Court and part of the Supreme Court ofSingapore. The SICC is designed to adjudicate transnational commercial disputes and has jurisdiction to hear and try actions which are international and commercial in nature.

The International Committee will further enhanceSingapore'sofferings as an international dispute resolution hub, providing parties with a transnational commercial dispute resolution option to hear their cases and appeals.

The Bill follows thesigning of a bilateral Treaty between the Government ofSingaporeand the Government of the Kingdom ofBahrainon20 March 2024to collaborate on the establishment of the Bahrain International Commercial Court.

Key Features of the Bill

The key features of the Bill are as follows:

• Structure: The International Committee will be established as a standalone body to hear prescribed appeals and related proceedings from prescribed foreign jurisdictions.
• Constitution: The members will comprise Judges of the Supreme Court and International Judges in the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), and ad hoc members drawn from the court of the foreign jurisdiction that is referring an appeal to the International Committee.
• Jurisdiction: The Minister for Law will be empowered to make regulations in relation to appeals from a foreign court to the International Committee, including prescribing the types of cases that can be appealed to the International Committee from the foreign jurisdiction.
• Representation:Singaporeadvocates and solicitors, foreign lawyers and law experts who have been registered to appear before the SICC, can appear before the International Committee.
• Enforcement: A judgment or order of the International Committee will be treated as a judgment or order of the court of that foreign jurisdiction which the appeal arose from.
• Finality: A decision of the International Committee is final.

VisitNews and speeches (judiciary.gov.sg)for more details.

SOURCE Supreme Court ofSingapore