Time limits of the procedure

The Registry checks admissibility within five working days. The respondent answers within thirty days. The parties appoint the arbitrators within thirty days of the answer. Objections to an arbitrator are made within fifteen days. The award is made within sixty days of the close of the debates.

These time limits are mandatory: exceeding them has consequences, notably the appointment of an arbitrator by default or continuation of the proceedings without the defaulting party.

For briefs, replies, documents and the hearing, the tribunal sets the dates at the first meeting, after consulting the parties. It takes account of the complexity of the case, the need for expert evidence and availability.

A typical time limit is eight weeks for an initial brief, four weeks for a reply, and three months between the close of written pleadings and the hearing. The tribunal may shorten them for urgent disputes.

An extension may be requested before the deadline, with a serious reason: illness, unavailability of a witness, unforeseen complexity. It is granted by the tribunal, generally for fifteen to thirty days, and may be renewed only exceptionally.

In the event of unjustified overrun, the tribunal may disregard the document, rule on the elements available and take the delay into account in allocating costs. Failure to answer is not an admission: the tribunal examines the claim on its merits.

The TAO has no judicial vacations, but the Registry takes into account closure periods announced in advance and the parties' religious holidays. A request for postponement on this ground is generally accepted if made at the first meeting.

Time zones are taken into account: a document is deemed filed at Paris time. The Desk shows the deadline in each party's local time to avoid mistakes.