Appointing an arbitrator does not mean acquiring a
defender, a gladiator who will advance one side of a dispute no matter what.
Arbitration means that the arbitrators impartially consider and pronounce on the
merits of a case, irrespective of by whom they were appointed.
Only well known, experienced and respected members
of the coffee trade can become arbitrators - they are selected by their peers to
serve on their association's Panel of Arbitrators. As per his or her particular
sphere of expertise an arbitrator may serve on the Quality Panel, the Technical
Panel or both. Depending on the rules of the association concerned arbitrators
can be appointed by the parties to the dispute, or by the association itself.
Where the parties to a dispute appoint their own arbitrators, usual practice is
that these arbitrators themselves then select a third, the Umpire.