Arbitration

In 1992, the VBN and the VGB (Association of Wholesale Trade in Horticultural Products) set up the Arbitration Committee. The reason for this was the increasing number of futures transactions through the flower auctions’ intermediation bureaus, which increased the chance of disputes. The financial stakes in these transactions are high. The Arbitration Committee can intervene only in disputes between growers and buyers in intermediation transactions. The grower and buyer must, however, have agreed beforehand that any disputes will be presented to the Arbitration Committee.

The Arbitration Committee consists of a permanent independent chairman who selects two co-arbitrators for each case. Factors such as knowledge of the relevant product and the independence of the arbitrators are involved in the choice. The VBN and the VGB have set up two lists for this purpose: one list of grower-arbitrators and one list of buyer-arbitrators. A legal expert assists the Arbitration Committee. The VBN operates the Arbitration Committee’s secretariat.

The brochure on the Arbitration Committee can be downloaded from this page.