The seat of arbitration does not oblige the parties to hold the entire arbitration at this venue, unless it is otherwise provided for.

Various factors are to be considered in selecting the seat of arbitration, amongst which whether that jurisdiction is arbitration-friendly and whether its Courts act in support of arbitration or interfere with it.

Nevertheless, the seat may not just be a façade.

Unless differently selected by the parties, the selection of the seat frequently involves the selection of the applicable procedural law.

The arbitration agreement referring a dispute to the European Court of Arbitration may provide for the seat not only in Europe, in the Mediterranean or in the Middle East, but in any other country, provided arbitration is allowed in that country and the specific dispute is arbitrable.

The Court suggests in any event to select a seat in a country which has ratified the 1958 New York Convention.