Article XVII Disputes

Any dispute between two or more Member States, or between any of them and the Agency, concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention or its Annexes, and likewise any dispute referred to in Article XXVI of Annex I, which is not settled by or through the Council, shall, at the request of any party to the dispute, be submitted to arbitration.

Unless the parties to the dispute decide otherwise, the arbitration procedure shall be in accordance with this Article and with additional rules to be adopted by the Council by a two-thirds majority of all Member States.

The Arbitration Tribunal shall consist of three members. Each party to the dispute shall nominate one arbitrator; the first two arbitrators shall nominate the third arbitrator, who shall be the chairman of the Arbitration Tribunal. The additional rules referred to in paragraph 2 shall determine the procedure to be followed if the nominations have not taken place within a specified time.

Member States or the Agency, not being parties to the dispute, may intervene in the proceedings with the consent of the Arbitration Tribunal if it considers that they have a substantial interest in the decision of the case.

The Arbitration Tribunal shall determine its seat and establish its own rules of procedure.

The award of the Arbitration Tribunal shall be made by a majority of its members, who may not abstain from voting. This award shall be final and binding on all parties to the dispute and no appeal shall lie against it. The parties shall comply with the award without delay. In the event of a dispute as to its meaning or scope, the Arbitration Tribunal shall interpret it at the request of any party to the dispute.