On 9 October 2017, the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the UN General Assembly held a successful debate on the work of the 50th session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) with H. E. Mr. János Martonyi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary and Chair of UNCITRAL. The debate addressed the presentation of the Chair and this year’s report of the Commission. On the margin of the debate Minister Martonyi, together with H. E. Ambassador Katalin Annamária Bogyay (Hungarian Permanent Representative to the UN in New York) and H. E. Ambassador Károly Dán (PR of Hungary to the UN in Vienna) met Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Sectretary-General for Legal Affairs and Renaud Sorieul, Secretary of UNCITRAL.
UNCITRAL is mandated to harmonize and modernize international trade law, thereby creating an effective legal environment for international trade and commerce. The UN General Assembly has on several occasions reaffirmed UNCITRAL’s important role in achieving global development, peace and stability through the completion of its mandate.
The Chair of UNCITRAL presented to the Sixth Committee the work of UNCITRAL during its 50th session which was held in Vienna from 3rd to 21st of July this year. Minister Martonyi highlighted that his election as the chair of the session “was also an appreciation for Hungary, a state which had a significant role in establishing UNCITRAL by initiating works on international trade law.” UNCITRAL was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations upon a Hungarian initiative in 1966.
UNCITRAL finalized and adopted two legislative texts in crucial commercial areas: electronic commerce and secured transactions. UNCITRAL also had on its agenda progress reports from working groups, consideration of its future work, and deliberation on the technical assistance and coordination activities carried out by its Secretariat. In addition, the Commission held a three-day Congress to commemorate its 50 years of work.
On the margin of the debate, Mr. Serpa Soares and Mr. Sorieul invited the Chair together with Ambassador Katalin Annamária Bogyay, and Ambassador Károly Dán, to discuss current issues and challenges faced by UNCITRAL in the development of international trade law.
Please, click here to read the Commission’s report.
To read the full statement of the Chair, please click here.
