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24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Arbitration

TAO statistics

The figures of art arbitration: cases per year, by region and by type of dispute, since the tribunal's creation in 2011.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

Pages in this section

The Calumny of Apelles, Giorgio Ghisi (1560)Cases per yearEvolution of the number of requests, awards, mediations and durations between 2011 and 2024.› Dr. James Stuart; Mary Campbell Stuart, Gilbert Stuart (c. 1815)Cases by type of disputeContracts, authenticity, provenance, restitution: the breakdown of TAO cases, durations and outcomes by type of dispute.› Portrait of John VIII Palaoelogus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1424-1428 (reverse), Pisanello (c. 1438–1439)Cases by regionEurope, North America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America: where the parties come from and why.›

Measuring to decide

Sketches in Belgium and Germany, Volume I: Hall of Justice of the Magistrates du Franc, Bruges, Louis Haghe (1840)
Sketches in Belgium and Germany, Volume I: Hall of Justice of the Magistrates du Franc, Bruges, Louis Haghe (1840)

An arbitration is an investment of time and money. The TAO's statistics, published each year and downloadable as open data, help everyone gauge what awaits them: how many cases, of what kind, from which regions, within what time.

Since 2011, 1,480 cases have been registered. 2024 set a record with 212 requests. The tribunal handles disputes from every region of the world, with European predominance.

This section presents cases per year, the breakdown by region and by type of dispute.

  • Statistics
  • Series
  • Open data

TAO statistics in figures

1,480Cases since 2011
212Requests in 2024
11 monthsAverage duration
81%Voluntary compliance

Source: Registry of the OIMAP Arbitral Tribunal.

Three angles

The Triumph of Mordecai, Lucas van Leyden (1515)TimeCases per year

Evolution since 2011.

›The Judgment of Solomon and Esther before Ahasuerus (pair), Dirk Vellert (c. 1530)GeographyBy region

Origin of the parties.

›The Victory Banquet: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of Rebellions in the Western Regions, with Imperial Poems (c. 1765–74; poem dated 1760)NatureBy type of dispute

Authenticity, provenance, restitution, contracts.

›

Breakdown

2020131
2021150
2022169
2023188
2024212

Requests registered per year.

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Coronation of the Virgin, Christoffel Jegher (1632–36)
Coronation of the Virgin, Christoffel Jegher (1632–36)
The Dance at the Court of Herod, Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1500)
The Dance at the Court of Herod, Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1500)

How to read the figures

The statistics cover registered cases (requests filed and found admissible) and closed cases (award, agreement or withdrawal). Durations are calculated between the request and closure. Amounts are expressed in euros and grouped in bands to guarantee confidentiality.

The data are aggregated: no figure makes it possible to identify a case, a party or a work. Figures below five are masked in detailed breakdowns.

What the figures show

The steady rise in the number of requests, from 61 in 2015 to 212 in 2024, reflects the spread of the standard clause and confidence in the institution. Duration is stable at around eleven months despite the rise in cases, thanks to the growth of the list of arbitrators and the expedited procedure.

Mediation is growing: from 8% of procedures in 2018 to 17% in 2024. Voluntary compliance is also rising, from 70% in 2015 to 81% in 2024.

Open data

The series are published as CSV, under an open licence, with a method note. They cover the number of cases, durations, amounts (by band), types of dispute, regions, languages, methods of appointment and of enforcement.

Researchers and journalists may download them free of charge. The Registry answers questions on definitions and method.

Beyond the figures

Statistics do not say everything: they ignore the quality of decisions, the parties' sense of fairness or the value of mediation for relationships. That is why the tribunal supplements its figures with satisfaction surveys and qualitative studies.

Above all, they serve to spot trends and to guide improvements, together with the quality committee.

Main indicators

Evolution over ten years
Indicator20152024
Requests61212
Average duration13 months11 months
Agreements in mediation54%66%
Voluntary compliance70%81%

Milestones

  1. 18 requests

    First steps.

  2. 61 requests

    Passing the 60 mark.

  3. 131 requests

    Passing the 130 mark.

  4. 212 requests

    Record.

Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Chemin de fer de Toulouse à Bayonne. Pont de l'Aran (en trois arches de 17m d'ouverture chacune). Situation des travaux au 21 juillet 1861, Édouard Baldus (1861)
Chemin de fer de Toulouse à Bayonne. Pont de l'Aran (en trois arches de 17m d'ouverture chacune). Situation des travaux au 21 juillet 1861, Édouard Baldus (1861)
Plaque (1500s–1600s)
Plaque (1500s–1600s)

Averages, not promises

Overall or broken-down reading

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)

Overall

Overview
  • Clear trends
  • Year-on-year comparisons
  • Little detail

To get informed.

Teapot with Landscape and Imperial Poem, Chen Hanwen (1762–95)

Broken down

By region or type
  • Precise
  • Useful for decisions
  • Figures sometimes masked

To analyse.

Using the statistics

  1. Choose

    Indicator.

  2. Filter

    Period, region.

  3. Compare

    Years.

  4. Export

    CSV.

  5. Interpret

    Method note.

Questions the figures help answer

An analyst

Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum (lid) (late 1800s-early 1900s)
« The TAO's open data are rare in the world of arbitration. They are a precious asset for research. »
Dr. Sophie Aubert, researcher

Vocabulary of statistics

Series
Sequence of figures over time.
Aggregated
Grouped without identification.
Band
Range of amounts.
Method note
Explanation of the calculation.

Frequently asked questions

Is the data free?

Yes.

Can a breakdown by country be obtained?

By region only.

How often?

Annually, updated in March.

Where can I see the years?

Useful documents

Contacts

The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)
The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)
Registry of the Arbitral Tribunal (TAO)Paris — Head Office+33 1 00 00 04 00greffe.tao@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

See cases per year

Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)

Historical series.

Cases per year
Image credits (22)
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