As the dust settles on the launch of FIDIC's 2017 Suite of Contracts, prominent users and early adopters come together to explain the decision to work under the new Suite over other possible versions of the iconic FIDIC contracts, such as the 1999 edition. This panel will reflect on the main challenges & foreseeable benefits of the 2017 FIDIC Suite. Participation from other users and early adopters in the audience will be encouraged.

Experienced FIDIC Contract Users from large infrastructure companies will once again share lessons learnt in using FIDIC forms of contract to underpin some of the most challenging aspects. We have assembled a number of new case studies from different industries and geographies to help bring the benefits to life and to help you understand the practical challenges of FIDIC application in practice. Projects under review will be announced soon. These will be new and insightful cases covering several forms of contract and project types.

By popular demand! This session on contract administration and dispute avoidance from a contractor’s perspective will assemble seasoned contractors and in-house contract specialists from large infrastructure and engineering firms at the forefront of implementation of FIDIC forms of contract. The panel will be discussing critical areas of contract administration including optimisation opportunities and common pitfalls to avoid, as well as the latest trends in dispute management and avoidance. 

FIDIC have just published the much awaited Golden Principles guidance and this session will offer an in-depth understanding on safely modifying FIDIC Conditions of Contract by maintaining the integrity of the FIDIC Golden Principles, to minimise disputes. The presenters are members of Task Group 15 on Golden Principles, whose remit is to determine the limits of acceptable modification of clauses in the Particular Conditions, so that the resultant contract can still be recognised as a FIDIC compliant contract.

The Emerald Book is the new form of contract for underground works, designed by the contractor. A joint endeavour of FIDIC and the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association ITA-AITES, it aims at a balanced allocation of subsurface risks in order to contain project costs and to improve costs stability - created for the benefit of the underground industry. Learn more about this new and important form at this leading forum.

The FIDIC 2017 updates focused on dispute avoidance and reflect current best practice for Dispute Boards. The main changes and improvements introduced in the 2017 edition will be explained and discussed during this session. Included in the discussion will be an overview of the reformulation of the current 20 clauses of the FIDIC contracts, with a new Clause 21 dedicated to dispute avoidance and resolution and the tools and techniques offered in the New Dispute Avoidance/Adjudication Board (“DAAB”) Procedural Rules.