Tribunal statistics

The number of requests has risen by 62% in four years. This growth reflects the rise of arbitration clauses in contracts for the sale of certified works and market players' confidence in a fast and confidential procedure.

Growth is driven by contract and authenticity disputes. Restitution disputes remain fewer but more complex, and involve States.

The average duration is eleven months: eight months for a sole-arbitrator procedure, fourteen months for a tribunal of three members. The expedited procedure lasts six months. The average time between closure of the debates and the award is forty-five days, below the ceiling of sixty.

For a €100,000 dispute, the tribunal's administrative costs come to €6,800, to which are added the arbitrators' fees according to the scale. Funding assistance may halve the costs for small parties.

Out of 100 mediations conducted, 64 end in agreement, in seven weeks on average. Mediation thus avoids arbitration in nearly two cases out of three when it is attempted.

For awards, the rate of voluntary compliance is 81%. In other cases, exequatur is sought in the State where the assets or property are located. No refusal of exequatur has been pronounced on the merits since 2019.

Auction houses, galleries and dealers account for 41% of the parties, private collectors 33%, institutions and museums 12%, States 6% and other players 8%. Half the cases pit parties from different countries against each other.

The breakdown by region shows a European predominance (44%), followed by North America (24%) and Asia-Pacific (17%). The Middle East is growing fastest, with a 35% increase in one year.

The statistics are compiled by the Registry from files closed at 31 December each year. Pending cases are not counted in durations. Personal data and names of the parties are never published.

An annual external audit verifies the published figures. The calculation methods are described in a method note attached to the annual report.