Permanent Court of Arbitration Signs Host Country Agreement with Spain, Paves Way for New Office in Madrid

The Hague/Madrid, July 2026: The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and the Kingdom of Spain have signed a landmark Host Country Agreement, strengthening international dispute resolution cooperation and paving the way for the establishment of a permanent PCA office in Madrid.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday by Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José María Albares Bueno, and PCA Secretary-General Dr. Hab. Marcin Czepelak during a formal ceremony held at the historic Palacio de Santa Cruz, the headquarters of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The event was attended by prominent members of the Ibero-American arbitration community, including representatives from the Centro Internacional e Iberoamericano de Arbitraje de Madrid (CIIAM) and the Club Español e Iberoamericano del Arbitraje (CEIA). The PCA delegation also included Senior Legal Counsel José Luis Aragón Cardiel.

The newly signed Host Country Agreement creates the legal framework necessary for the Permanent Court of Arbitration to conduct hearings, arbitration proceedings, mediation sessions, conciliation processes and other dispute resolution mechanisms within Spain. It also grants the privileges and immunities required for arbitrators, legal experts and participants involved in PCA-administered proceedings.

A key provision of the agreement is the establishment of a permanent PCA office in Madrid, significantly expanding the organisation’s global presence and making its dispute resolution services more accessible across Europe and the Ibero-American region. The agreement also allows Spain to designate facilities where PCA meetings, hearings and arbitration proceedings can be conducted.

Established under the 1899 Hague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, the Permanent Court of Arbitration is one of the world’s oldest intergovernmental organisations dedicated to peaceful dispute resolution. Headquartered at the iconic Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, the PCA currently has 128 Contracting Parties and provides a neutral forum for resolving disputes involving states, state entities, intergovernmental organisations and private parties.

Unlike a traditional court, the PCA administers a broad range of dispute resolution procedures, including arbitration, mediation, conciliation, fact-finding commissions and other peaceful settlement mechanisms. Its services are used to resolve inter-state disputes, investment treaty claims, contractual disagreements involving governments and public entities, and various international legal matters.

Since the 1990s, the PCA has actively pursued agreements with member states to expand access to its services beyond its headquarters in The Hague. These Host Country Agreements enable proceedings to be conducted under legal protections comparable to those available in the Netherlands while providing greater convenience and flexibility for parties involved in international disputes.

Spain now joins a growing list of countries that have entered into similar agreements with the PCA, including Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Ecuador, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Mauritius, Paraguay, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

According to the PCA, its International Bureau is currently administering a substantial caseload that reflects its expanding role in global dispute resolution. This includes seven inter-state arbitrations, one additional inter-state proceeding, 90 investment treaty arbitrations arising under bilateral and multilateral investment agreements or national investment laws, 101 contract-based arbitrations involving states or public entities, and 11 other international proceedings.

The signing of the Host Country Agreement with Spain represents another important milestone in the PCA’s strategy to strengthen access to international arbitration and peaceful dispute resolution worldwide. By establishing a permanent presence in Madrid, the organisation aims to enhance cooperation with the Spanish-speaking legal community while reinforcing Spain’s position as a leading international arbitration hub.

Team Maverick.