Amendments to the Rules

The 2016 version added the mediation annex and clarified the rules on independence. The 2019 version introduced the expedited procedure and urgent measures. The 2022 revision enshrined remote hearings and electronic exchanges. The 2024 version made online filing general, revised the scale of fees and strengthened transparency in appointments.

Each revision was preceded by a consultation of users: surveys, meetings with bar associations and market operators, written comments.

A proposal for amendment may come from the council, the Registry, the quality committee or users. A drafting committee prepares a draft, published for consultation for sixty days. The comments are analysed in a public report, then the council adopts the text by a qualified majority.

The new version comes into force on a date announced at least three months in advance. A user guide summarises the changes.

Requests filed before the entry into force of a new version remain governed by the old one, unless the parties agree otherwise. Arbitration clauses referring to the TAO Rules are understood as referring to the version applicable on the date of the request.

This rule protects predictability: the parties know which rules will apply, while benefiting from improvements for future cases.

The drafting committee is currently studying three avenues: a consolidation procedure for multiple disputes, a specific regime for private online sales and transparency rules on third-party funding of disputes. The projects will be submitted for consultation when they are ready.

Users may make their needs known to the Registry at any time. Suggestions are examined each year by the quality committee.