Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110
§1650a Arbitration Awards Under the Convention
Title 22 › CHAPTER 21A — SETTLEMENT OF INVESTMENT DISPUTES › § 1650a
Summary
Arbitral awards under chapter IV of the Convention must be treated as rights created by a U.S. treaty and enforced like a final judgment of a state court. The Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) does not apply to enforcing these awards. Only U.S. district courts, including the courts listed in section 460 of title 28, can hear enforcement cases, no matter how much money is involved.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §1650a
Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Treaty rights; enforcement; full faith and credit; nonapplication of Federal Arbitration Act
An award of an arbitral tribunal rendered pursuant to chapter IV of the convention shall create a right arising under a treaty of the United States. The pecuniary obligations imposed by such an award shall be enforced and shall be given the same full faith and credit as if the award were a final judgment of a court of general jurisdiction of one of the several States. The Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) shall not apply to enforcement of awards rendered pursuant to the convention.
(b)Jurisdiction; amount in controversy
The district courts of the United States (including the courts enumerated in section 460 of title 28) shall have exclusive jurisdiction over actions and proceedings under subsection (a) of this section, regardless of the amount in controversy.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Chapter IV of the convention, referred to in subsec. (a), contains the Arbitration provisions of the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes Between States and Nationals of Other States, providing in section 1 (Art. 36) for Request for Arbitration, section 2 (Arts. 37 to 40) for Constitution of the Tribunal, section 3 (Arts. 41 to 47) for powers and functions of the tribunal, section 4 (Arts. 48, 49) for The Award, section 5 (Arts. 50 to 52) for interpretation, revision and annulment of the award, and section 6 (Arts. 53 to 55) for recognition and
Enforcement
of the award. The Federal Arbitration Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is classified generally to Title 9, Arbitration.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 1650a
Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110