香港特别行政区ADR发展的新动向——商事争议强制性调解机制的兴起

香港特别行政区(以下简称香港)长期以来坚持自愿调解机制,其近年来的司法实践和立法均有了一些新的发展。香港的民事司法改革极大地促进了调解机制的发展,改革后的香港正式立法虽然仍没有采纳强制性调解机制,但是通过处罚诉讼费用这种变通的方式同样达到了强制性调解的效果。建筑业是调解在香港运用得最为充分的领域。强制性调解,尤其是建筑业中强制性调解的兴起和发展,不仅为香港商事争议的解决起了引领作用,也进一步加速了香港ADR机制发展的进程。

The New Development of ADR in Hong Kong SAR--In the View of Mandatory Mediation in Commercial Disputes

Although Hong Kong SAR has adopted the mechanism of voluntary mediation for a long time, legal practice and legislation have developed in recent years. The civil justice reform has played a very important role in promoting the development of mediation mechanism. Mandatory mediation has not yet adopted by the legislation of Hong Kong SAR, but through the way of costs sanction, the practice has achieved the same effect as mandatory mediation does. Mediation in construction industry is the domain in which mediation develops best. The emerging of mandatory mediation, especially in the construction industry, not only promotes the settlement of commercial disputes, but accelerates the development of ADR in Hong Kong SAR.