As early as 1960, the Council of the Bar of Lille had examined a proposition aiming to create a Court of arbitration with the cooperation of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry and of the Regional Economic Administration

However thirty years and the obstinacy of the Batonnier Bernard LEBAS were necessary to realise that scheme. In June 1989 was officially announced the birth of the CAREN, Court of Arbitration of Northern Europe, and the first event took place in October under presidency of Mr MERTENS de WILMARS, former lawyer in Antwerpen and President of the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

The Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Community, the Regional Order of Accountants, the Regional Company of Auditors, the Regional Council of Notaries, the Bars of Tournai (Belgium) and Bethune and the faculty of law of Lille joined the Bar and the Chamber of Commerce of Lille.

The first president of the CAREN was Mr Roger VIENNE, honorary President of the Commercial Chamber of the Supreme Court and the first vice-president the late Rector Guy DEBEYRE.

Beyond its activities in arbitration of commercial, national or international conflicts, the CAREN has organised numerous conferences and developed contacts with other (French and foreign) arbitration centres. Today the CAREN is a member of

·                    the association LILLE PLACE JURIDIQUE

·                    the COMITE FRANCAIS DE L'ARBITRAGE (French Committee of Arbitration) that groups the French - specialised as well as generalist - centres ;

·                    the European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) “RESEAU EUROPEEN D'ARBITRAGE ET DE MEDIATION” (REAM) within which can be found the French, Italian and Spanish centres

·                    Also, the CAREN has correspondents in most of the countries of Europe.

In 1993, the Batonnier VEROONE, former Head of the French Delegation to the Council of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), succeeded Mr VIENNE.

On October 7^th 1999 was celebrated the tenth anniversary of CAREN by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lille Metropole with the participation of the Universities of Montreal (Canada), Namur (Belgium) and Lille and the presence of numerous foreign and French jurists.

In June 2000, Mr Henri BELOT, former President of the Commercial Court of Lille succeeded Mr VEROONE.

On December 3^rd 2007 the Batonnier Bernard Lebas was elected President of the CAREN.

On October 20^th 2009 the CAREN celebrated its 20 years anniversary.

This anniversary lead to two major projects:

-The Charter on the Friendly Settlement of Disputes, code of good practice applied to the management of conflicts, supported by Mr Stefaan DE CLERCK, Minister of Justice of Belgium, and by Mr Philippe VASSEUR, former French Minister, President of the Grand Lille Committee, President of the Alliances Network; and President of the World Forum Lille.

More than 50 companies and institutions have signed this Charter, among them AUCHAN, DAMART, TROIS SUISSES International, DOUBLET, ROQUETTE, RABOT DUTHILLEUL, LA VOIX DU NORD... to mention only a few.

The Batonnier of Lille, Mr René DESPIEGHELAERE, but also the Batonnier of Courtrai and Tournai, by their signature, have shown that lawyers, natural advisors of companies, know how to enter in a process of eased settlement of disputes.

- The evening of the 20^th October and the Conference by which the dean of the Faculty of Law of Versailles, Professor Thomas CLAY, with a wilfully provocative theme “Arbitration as employment justice”.

It brought together more than 130 figures who came to demonstrate their commitment to the CAREN’s action to suggest a responsible management of disputes. Among them, Mr Philippe TACK, thoughtful Master of Ceremony, Mr Robrecht BAUWENS, Batonnier of Courtai for the reception in Dutch, the Batonnier LEBAS, President of the CAREN, Mr Stefaan DE CLERCK, Minister of Justice of Belgium, and Mr Philippe VASSEUR, former French Minister, President of the Grand Lille Committee, President of the Alliances Network; and President of the World Forum Lille.

From left to right: Minister S. De Clerck, Mr P. Vasseur, Mr R. Bauwens, Mr. P. Tack, President Lebas