Certain Opinions of the Supreme People's Court on the Establishment and Improvement of a Mechanism for Dispute Resolution through a Combination of Litigation and Non-Litigation Strategies

最高人民法院关于建立健全诉讼与非诉讼相衔接的矛盾纠纷解决机制的若干意见

Promulgating Institution: Supreme People's Court

Document Number: Fa Fa [2009] No. 45

Promulgating Date: 07/24/2009

Effective Date: 07/24/2009

颁布机关: 最高人民法院

文    号: 法发[2009]45号

颁布时间: 07/24/2009

实施时间: 07/24/2009

Text

正文

In order to give full play to the positive role of people's courts in the establishment and improvement of a mechanism for dispute resolution through a combination of litigation and non-litigation strategies and to promote the development of a variety of dispute resolution mechanisms, the following opinions are hereby issued.

    为发挥人民法院在建立健全诉讼与非诉讼相衔接的矛盾纠纷解决机制方面的积极作用，促进各种纠纷解决机制的发展，现制定以下意见。

1. To Clarify Major Goals and Task Requirements

     一、明确主要目标和任务要求

(1) The major goals for the establishment and improvement of a mechanism for dispute resolution through the combination of litigation and non-litigation strategies are: to make full utilization of the strength of the people's courts, administrative authorities, social organizations, enterprises, institutions and other parties; to promote coordination and cooperation between all dispute resolution methods and the overall development thereof; to properly handle work relating to the combination of litigation and non-litigation strategies; to provide people with more options in terms of dispute resolution methods; to maintain social harmony and stability; and to promote sound and rapid economic and social development.

    1.建立健全诉讼与非诉讼相衔接的矛盾纠纷解决机制的主要目标是:充分发挥人民法院、行政机关、社会组织、企事业单位以及其他各方面的力量，促进各种纠纷解决方式相互配合、相互协调和全面发展，做好诉讼与非诉讼渠道的相互衔接，为人民群众提供更多可供选择的纠纷解决方式，维护社会和谐稳定，促进经济社会又好又快发展。

(2) The main tasks regarding the establishment and improvement of a mechanism for dispute resolution through the combination of litigation and non-litigation strategies are: to make full utilization of jurisdictional functions of regulation, guidance and supervision; to improve a mechanism of combining litigation with non-litigation dispute resolution methods such as arbitration, administrative mediation, people's mediation, commercial conciliation, and trade mediation, to promote the building of a variety of dispute resolution mechanisms and the relevant procedure systems; to make non-litigation dispute resolution methods more convenient, flexible, and efficient; and to provide judicial guarantee for the development of dispute resolution mechanisms.

    2.建立健全诉讼与非诉讼相衔接的矛盾纠纷解决机制的主要任务是:充分发挥审判权的规范、引导和监督作用，完善诉讼与仲裁、行政调处、人民调解、商事调解、行业调解以及其他非诉讼纠纷解决方式之间的衔接机制，推动各种纠纷解决机制的组织和程序制度建设，促使非诉讼纠纷解决方式更加便捷、灵活、高效，为矛盾纠纷解决机制的繁荣发展提供司法保障。

(3) The course of the establishment and improvement of a mechanism for dispute resolution through the combination of litigation and non-litigation strategies requires close reliance on the leadership of the Party committee, active government support, encouraged participation by all societal sectors, and full utilization of the driving force of the judicial administration. It also requires full protection of the right of parties concerned to the disposal of their own civil rights and litigation rights in accordance with the law.

    3.在建立健全诉讼与非诉讼相衔接的矛盾纠纷解决机制的过程中，必须紧紧依靠党委领导，积极争取政府支持，鼓励社会各界参与，充分发挥司法的推动作用;必须充分保障当事人依法处分自己的民事权利和诉讼权利。

2. To Promote the Development of Non-Litigation Dispute Resolution Mechanisms

     二、促进非诉讼纠纷解决机制的发展

(4) Diligent implementation of the Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China and relevant judicial interpretations is required. Courts shall respect and imbibe the specific rules within the arbitration system from the aspects of effectiveness of arbitration agreements, evidence rules, arbitration procedures, basis for arbitration awards, review standards for vacation of arbitration awards, and review standards for refusal of enforcement of arbitration awards, etc., thus making the maximum utilization of the function of the arbitration system in resolving disputes.. Any people's court shall handle an application for evidence or property preservation during the arbitration in a timely manner.

    4.认真贯彻执行《中华人民共和国仲裁法》和相关司法解释，在仲裁协议效力、证据规则、仲裁程序、裁决依据、撤销裁决审查标准、不予执行裁决审查标准等方面，尊重和体现仲裁制度的特有规律，最大程度地发挥仲裁制度在纠纷解决方面的作用。对于仲裁过程中申请证据保全、财产保全的，人民法院应当依法及时办理。

(5) Diligent implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Labor-dispute Mediation and Arbitration and relevant judicial interpretations is required. Courts shall strengthen communication and cooperation with arbitration institutions that handle labor and personnel disputes. They shall adopt appropriate trial methods in light of the particular case characteristics involving labor or personnel disputes, so as to support and encourage the full utilization of the arbitration mechanism. In case a labor or personnel arbitration institution refuses to accept a labor or personnel dispute or fails to render a decision thereon within a specified time limit, if the relevant applicant files an action before a people's court, the people's court shall accept the case in accordance with the law.

    5.认真贯彻执行《中华人民共和国劳动争议调解仲裁法》和相关司法解释的规定，加强与劳动、人事争议等仲裁机构的沟通和协调，根据劳动、人事争议案件的特点采取适当的审理方式，支持和鼓励仲裁机制发挥作用。对劳动、人事争议仲裁机构不予受理或者逾期未作出决定的劳动、人事争议事项，申请人向人民法院提起诉讼的，人民法院应当依法受理。

(6) Courts shall further strengthen communication and cooperation with arbitration institutions for handling disputes involving rural land contracting, properly handle disputes involving rural land contracting , and make efforts to provide secure judicial guarantee for the development of rural reform and the other relevant legal services. Where a party concerned files an action due to dissatisfaction with an award made by an arbitration institution for handling disputes involving rural land contracting, the people's court shall try the case in a timely manner. Where a party concerned files an application before a people's court for compulsory enforcement of a legally effective award or mediation, the court shall carry out timely enforcement in accordance with the law.

    6.要进一步加强与农村土地承包仲裁机构的沟通和协调，妥善处理农村土地承包纠纷，努力为农村改革发展提供强有力的司法保障和法律服务。当事人对农村土地承包仲裁机构裁决不服而提起诉讼的，人民法院应当及时审理。当事人申请法院强制执行已经发生法律效力的裁决书和调解书的，人民法院应当依法及时执行。

(7) The people's courts shall vigorously support and legally supervise mediation work conducted by people's mediation organizations. The provisions of relevant laws shall apply in the trial of civil cases involving people's mediation agreements.

    7.人民法院要大力支持、依法监督人民调解组织的调解工作，在审理涉及人民调解协议的民事案件时，应当适用有关法律规定。

(8) In order to effectively resolve a variety of conflicts and disputes occurring during administrative management activities, the people's courts shall encourage the administrative authorities to carry out mediation or render rulings based on the concerned parties' applications or according to their respective functions and responsibilities, or handle the disputes by other means in accordance with the law, shall provide necessary support to the administrative authorities. Such mediation awards, rulings, or decisions on the handling of cases shall be legally effective. Where any party is dissatisfied with a mediation award, ruling or other decision on handling rendered by the relevant administrative authority regarding a civil dispute between equal subjects, and files a lawsuit against the other party in the original dispute before a people's court, the people's court shall accept the case as a civil case. If any law or judicial interpretation explicitly provides that the case be accepted as an administrative case, the people's court may, in the course of examination of the administrative act, try the case along with the civil disputes involved therein, and render an administrative ruling. Meanwhile, a civil ruling for the civil disputes shall be rendered in accordance with the law.

Unless otherwise provided by law, if a mediation agreement containing civil rights and obligations is concluded after the relevant administrative authority has conducted mediation of the relevant civil dispute in accordance with the law, or the administrative authority has otherwise rendered a decision that the case does not fall within the scope of concrete administrative acts of litigious nature, the mediation agreement or decision shall be a civil contract in nature after being signed, sealed and delivered by the both parties.

    8.为有效化解行政管理活动中发生的各类矛盾纠纷，人民法院鼓励和支持行政机关依当事人申请或者依职权进行调解、裁决或者依法作出其他处理。调解、裁决或者依法作出的其他处理具有法律效力。当事人不服行政机关对平等主体之间民事争议所作的调解、裁决或者其他处理，以对方当事人为被告就原争议向人民法院起诉的，由人民法院作为民事案件受理。法律或司法解释明确规定作为行政案件受理的，人民法院在对行政行为进行审查时，可对其中的民事争议一并审理，并在作出行政判决的同时，依法对当事人之间的民事争议一并作出民事判决。

    行政机关依法对民事纠纷进行调处后达成的有民事权利义务内容的调解协议或者作出的其他不属于可诉具体行政行为的处理，经双方当事人签字或者盖章后，具有民事合同性质，法律另有规定的除外。

(9) In the event that parties who have not reached an arbitration agreement file an application with an arbitration committee for mediation of a civil dispute, if a mediation agreement containing civil rights and obligations is reached after a special mediation organization established by the arbitration committee has conducted the mediation according to the mediation rules of impartiality and neutrality, such mediation agreement shall assume the nature of a civil contract after being signed or stamped by the both parties.

    9.没有仲裁协议的当事人申请仲裁委员会对民事纠纷进行调解的，由该仲裁委员会专门设立的调解组织按照公平中立的调解规则进行调解后达成的有民事权利义务内容的调解协议，经双方当事人签字或者盖章后，具有民事合同性质。

(10) The people's courts shall encourage trade associations, social organizations, enterprises, institutions, and other organizations to establish and improve the functions and mechanisms for mediating relevant disputes and provide necessary support thereto. If a mediation agreement containing civil rights and obligations is reached after a commercial mediation organization or a mediation organization of a trade association or other organization that was authorized to mediate conducted the mediation, such mediation agreement shall be a civil contract in nature after being executed by both parties.

    10.人民法院鼓励和支持行业协会、社会组织、企事业单位等建立健全调解相关纠纷的职能和机制。经商事调解组织、行业调解组织或者其他具有调解职能的组织调解后达成的具有民事权利义务内容的调解协议，经双方当事人签字或者盖章后，具有民事合同性质。

(11) If a labor dispute mediation agreement is reached during the conduct of mediation by a organization specified in the Law of the People's Republic of China on Labor-dispute Mediation and Arbitration, both parties shall affix their signatures or seals thereto and the agreement shall become effective after the mediator affixes his/her signature and the seal of the mediation organization thereto. Such agreement shall be binding upon both parties to the mediation. Both parties may, without going through arbitration procedures, file an application directly with a people's court for confirming the effectiveness of such mediation agreement according to provisions of these Opinions regarding judicial confirmation. If the people's court refuses to confirm the effectiveness of such agreement, the parties may file an arbitration application before the labor dispute arbitration committee.

    11.经《中华人民共和国劳动争议调解仲裁法》规定的调解组织调解达成的劳动争议调解协议，由双方当事人签名或者盖章，经调解员签名并加盖调解组织印章后生效，对双方当事人具有合同约束力，当事人应当履行。双方当事人可以不经仲裁程序，根据本意见关于司法确认的规定直接向人民法院申请确认调解协议效力。人民法院不予确认的，当事人可以向劳动争议仲裁委员会申请仲裁。

(12) With respect to an agreement containing matters relating to payment reached in civil dispute mediation conducted by the relevant administrative authority, a people's mediation organization, a commercial mediation organization, a mediation organization of a trade association or other organization with the mediation function, a party concerned may, according to provisions of the Notarization Law of the People's Republic of China, file an application with a notary agency to determine the enforceability of the agreement. Where the debtor neglects or fails to properly perform an enforceable notarial document, the creditor may file an application for enforcement before the competent people's court in accordance with the law.

    12.经行政机关、人民调解组织、商事调解组织、行业调解组织或者其他具有调解职能的组织对民事纠纷调解后达成的具有给付内容的协议，当事人可以按照《中华人民共和国公证法》的规定申请公证机关依法赋予强制执行效力。债务人不履行或者不适当履行具有强制执行效力的公证文书的，债权人可以依法向有管辖权的人民法院申请执行。

(13) With respect to a mediation agreement that is a legal contract in nature and contains matters relating to payment, the creditor may file an application for a payment order before a basic people's court with jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China and relevant judicial interpretations. The written application shall explicitly state the amount of the payment in monetary form or negotiable securities along with supporting facts and evidence, and the original copy of the mediation agreement shall be attached thereto.

In the event that a mediation agreement has been reached regarding the payments in arrears, such as payments for labor remuneration, medical expenses for job-related injury, financial compensation or damages, and if the employer fails to perform the agreement within the agreed time limit, the employees may, by presenting the mediation agreement, file an application for a payment order before a people's court in accordance with law.

    13.对于具有合同效力和给付内容的调解协议，债权人可以根据《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》和相关司法解释的规定向有管辖权的基层人民法院申请支付令。申请书应当写明请求给付金钱或者有价证券的数量和所根据的事实、证据，并附调解协议原件。

    因支付拖欠劳动报酬、工伤医疗费、经济补偿或者赔偿金事项达成调解协议，用人单位在协议约定期限内不履行的，劳动者可以持调解协议书依法向人民法院申请支付令。

3. To Improve a Mechanism Involving Different Participants in the Mediation Process during a Litigation Activity

     三、完善诉讼活动中多方参与的调解机制

(14) With respect to a case that is within the scope of civil actions accepted by a people's court and under the jurisdiction of a people's court, the people's court may, after receiving a complaint in writing or oral pleading and before officially initiating a case, appoint the relevant administrative authority, a people's mediation organization, a commercial mediation organization, or other organization authorized to mediate to conduct mediation according to its authority or upon a party's application. If the parties do not agree to such mediation or fail to reach a mediation agreement within the agreed or specified time limit, the people's court shall initiate a case in a timely manner in accordance with the law.

    14.对属于人民法院受理民事诉讼的范围和受诉人民法院管辖的案件，人民法院在收到起诉状或者口头起诉之后、正式立案之前，可以依职权或者经当事人申请后，委派行政机关、人民调解组织、商事调解组织、行业调解组织或者其他具有调解职能的组织进行调解。当事人不同意调解或者在商定、指定时间内不能达成调解协议的，人民法院应当依法及时立案。

(15) Where both parties agree or a people's court believes that it is necessary to carry out the mediation, the people's court may, after the case initiation, appoint the relevant administrative authority, a people's mediation organization, a commercial mediation organization, a mediation organization of a trade association, or other organization with the mediation function to provide assistance in the mediation. The parties may choose a relevant authority or organization through negotiation or determine it by consulting the people's court.

After the mediation is closed, the relevant authority or organization shall inform the people's court of the mediation result. If a mediation agreement is reached, the parties may apply for withdrawal of the action or judicial confirmation, or the people's court may prepare a written mediation after examination. If the mediation fails, the people's court shall try the case in a timely manner.

    15.经双方当事人同意，或者人民法院认为确有必要的，人民法院可以在立案后将民事案件委托行政机关、人民调解组织、商事调解组织、行业调解组织或者其他具有调解职能的组织协助进行调解。当事人可以协商选定有关机关或者组织，也可商请人民法院确定。

    调解结束后，有关机关或者组织应当将调解结果告知人民法院。达成调解协议的，当事人可以申请撤诉、申请司法确认，或者由人民法院经过审查后制作调解书。调解不成的，人民法院应当及时审判。

(16) With respect to a civil case which has been on the docket, the people's court may, in accordance with the relevant provisions, invite the relevant qualified organization or person to conduct the mediation jointly with the trial organization. Mediation shall be conducted in the tribunal or other office of a people's court, or in the place outside of a people's court subject to the consent of the parties. Where a mediation agreement is reached, the parties may be allowed to withdraw the action, or the people's court may prepare a written mediation after examination. If the mediation fails, the people's court shall try the case in a timely manner.

If a judge has participated in the mediation of a dispute before the court hearing, the judge shall in principle not participate in the court hearing of the case involving the same dispute, unless the parties concerned agree otherwise.

    16.对于已经立案的民事案件，人民法院可以按照有关规定邀请符合条件的组织或者人员与审判组织共同进行调解。调解应当在人民法院的法庭或者其他办公场所进行，经当事人同意也可以在法院以外的场所进行。达成调解协议的，可以允许当事人撤诉，或者由人民法院经过审查后制作调解书。调解不成的，人民法院应当及时审判。

    开庭前从事调解的法官原则上不参与同一案件的开庭审理，当事人同意的除外。

(17) In the mediation process, the relevant organizations may guide the parties in reaching a mediation agreement by referring to trade practices, village regulations and rules, community pledge, ethical norms and other code of conduct, provided that laws, administrative regulations and compulsory provisions are not violated.

    17.有关组织调解案件时，在不违反法律、行政法规强制性规定的前提下，可以参考行业惯例、村规民约、社区公约和当地善良风俗等行为规范，引导当事人达成调解协议。

(18) Where a party commits acts such as concealing important facts, providing false information, or intentionally delaying the course of the mediation, the relevant mediator may issue a warning to the relevant party or terminate the mediation, and shall report the relevant information to the appointed or authorized people's court. If a party's act causes damage to other parties or people other than those involved in the case, such party shall incur corresponding legal liability.

    18.在调解过程中当事人有隐瞒重要事实、提供虚假情况或者故意拖延时间等行为的，调解员可以给予警告或者终止调解，并将有关情况报告委派或委托人民法院。当事人的行为给其他当事人或者案外人造成损失的，应当承担相应的法律责任。

(19) The mediation shall not be carried out in public, unless both parties require or agree to such public mediation.

No authority, organization, or mediator engaging in mediation, or court functionary in charge of mediation administration may disclose the relevant information during the mediation process or be a witness in any action involving the relevant case. The parties shall not, in the trial procedures, present written records prepared in the mediation process, any concession or undertaking made by the parties for reaching a mediation agreement, any opinions or suggestion made by the mediator or the parties, etc. as evidence, unless:

(a) Agreed upon by both parties;

(b) Explicitly prescribed by law;

(c) The people's court deems it necessary to protect the State interests, social public interests, and lawful rights and interests of the people other than involved in the case.

    19.调解过程不公开，但双方当事人要求或者同意公开调解的除外。

    从事调解的机关、组织、调解员，以及负责调解事务管理的法院工作人员，不得披露调解过程的有关情况，不得在就相关案件进行的诉讼中作证，当事人不得在审判程序中将调解过程中制作的笔录、当事人为达成调解协议而作出的让步或者承诺、调解员或者当事人发表的任何意见或者建议等作为证据提出，但下列情形除外:

    （一）双方当事人均同意的;

    （二）法律有明确规定的;

    （三）为保护国家利益、社会公共利益、案外人合法权益，人民法院认为确有必要的。

4. To Regulate and Improve Judicial Confirmation Procedures

     四、规范和完善司法确认程序

(20) If an agreement that is contractual in nature, reached after the mediation by the administrative authority, a people's mediation organization, a commercial mediation organization, a mediation organization of a trade association or other organization with the mediation function is signed and sealed by the mediation organization and the mediator, the party may file an application with the competent people's court for confirming the validity of the agreement. If a party makes a request for performance of a mediation agreement, altering or cancelling a mediation agreement or confirming an invalid mediation agreement, the party may file an action before a people's court.

    20.经行政机关、人民调解组织、商事调解组织、行业调解组织或者其他具有调解职能的组织调解达成的具有民事合同性质的协议，经调解组织和调解员签字盖章后，当事人可以申请有管辖权的人民法院确认其效力。当事人请求履行调解协议、请求变更、撤销调解协议或者请求确认调解协议无效的，可以向人民法院提起诉讼。

(21) A party may specify a basic people's court as the competent court in the mediation agreement, such as the basic people's court of the place of residence, the place of performance of the mediation agreement, the place of execution of the mediation agreement, or the place where the subject matter is located However, such specification shall not violate the provisions of laws in respect of exclusive jurisdiction. If the parties do not reach an agreement on the competent court, the basic people's court of the place of residence or the place of performance of the mediation agreement shall have the jurisdiction over the case, except for circumstances provided in Article 34 of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China. In the event of a case involving an application for confirming a mediation agreement reached under the mediation by the relevant authority or organization appointed or authorized by a people's court, the people's court shall have the jurisdiction over such case.

    21.当事人可以在书面调解协议中选择当事人住所地、调解协议履行地、调解协议签订地、标的物所在地基层人民法院管辖，但不得违反法律对专属管辖的规定。当事人没有约定的，除《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》第三十四条规定的情形外，由当事人住所地或者调解协议履行地的基层人民法院管辖。经人民法院委派或委托有关机关或者组织调解达成的调解协议的申请确认案件，由委派或委托人民法院管辖。

(22) The parties concerned shall jointly file an application for confirmation before the competent people's court orally or in writing. If one party files an application and the other party agrees to such application, it shall be deemed that both parties have jointly filed the application. The parties shall submit the mediation agreement and the written undertaking to the relevant people's court when filing the application. The people's court shall conduct the relevant examination in a timely manner after receiving the application. If the application materials are complete, the court shall serve an acceptance notice on the both parties in a timely manner. The written undertaking signed by both parties shall explicitly state the following content:

(a) Both parties reach the agreement on a voluntary basis for resolving disputes, without committing any act of malicious conspiracy or evasion of law; and

(b) In the event of any damage caused to others due to the contents of the agreement, the parties concerned are willing to incur corresponding civil liability and other legal liability.

    22.当事人应当共同向有管辖权的人民法院以书面形式或者口头形式提出确认申请。一方当事人提出申请，另一方表示同意的，视为共同提出申请。当事人提出申请时，应当向人民法院提交调解协议书、承诺书。人民法院在收到申请后应当及时审查，材料齐备的，及时向当事人送达受理通知书。双方当事人签署的承诺书应当明确载明以下内容:

    （一）双方当事人出于解决纠纷的目的自愿达成协议，没有恶意串通、规避法律的行为;

    （二）如果因为该协议内容而给他人造成损害的，愿意承担相应的民事责任和其他法律责任。

(23) When a people's court tries a case involving an application for confirming a mediation agreement, the provisions in the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China regarding the summary procedure shall apply as a reference. If the case is tried by a single judge alone, both parties shall appear before the court at the same time. The people's court shall, in the presence of both the parties, make inquiries to ascertain whether or not they understand the contents of the agreement, whether or not they accept the results therefrom, and whether or not they need the people's court to render the agreement enforceable through judicial confirmation procedures.

    23.人民法院审理申请确认调解协议案件，参照适用《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》有关简易程序的规定。案件由审判员一人独任审理，双方当事人应当同时到庭。人民法院应当面询问双方当事人是否理解所达成协议的内容，是否接受因此而产生的后果，是否愿意由人民法院通过司法确认程序赋予该协议强制执行的效力。

(24) A people's court may refuse to confirm the validity of a mediation agreement if the mediation agreement falls under any of the following circumstances:

(a) Violating mandatory provisions of laws and administrative regulations;

(b) Endangering State interests or social public interests;

(c) Infringing upon lawful rights and rights of people other than those involved in the case;

(d) Involving the issue of whether or not the parties concerned shall be subject to criminal liability;

(e) Containing ambiguous content, resulting in being unable to confirm and implement;

(f) Forced mediation by the relevant mediation organization or mediator or other serious violations of the code of professional ethics; and

(g) Other circumstances where confirmation shall not be made.

Where the parties execute a mediation agreement against their true intention, or the relevant mediation organization or mediator has a vested interest in the case and the mediation is obviously unjust, the people's court shall refuse to confirm the validity of the mediation agreement, unless where the parties concerned insist on the application for the confirmation thereof when being fully aware of the abovementioned circumstances.

    24.有下列情形之一的，人民法院不予确认调解协议效力:

    （一）违反法律、行政法规强制性规定的;

    （二）侵害国家利益、社会公共利益的;

    （三）侵害案外人合法权益的;

    （四）涉及是否追究当事人刑事责任的;

    （五）内容不明确，无法确认和执行的;

    （六）调解组织、调解员强迫调解或者有其他严重违反职业道德准则的行为的;

    （七）其他情形不应当确认的。

    当事人在违背真实意思的情况下签订调解协议，或者调解组织、调解员与案件有利害关系、调解显失公正的，人民法院对调解协议效力不予确认，但当事人明知存在上述情形，仍坚持申请确认的除外。

(25) A people's court may, after examination in accordance with the law, decide whether or not to confirm the validity of a mediation agreement. The decision on confirming the validity of a mediation agreement shall become effective after the service thereof on both parties. If either party refuses to perform the agreement, the other party may file an application for compulsory enforcement before the people's court in accordance with the law.

    25.人民法院依法审查后，决定是否确认调解协议的效力。确认调解协议效力的决定送达双方当事人后发生法律效力，一方当事人拒绝履行的，另一方当事人可以依法申请人民法院强制执行。

5. To Establish and Improve Working Mechanisms

     五、建立健全工作机制

(26) A local people's court, if certain requirements are satisfied, may prepare a name list of mediation organizations and a name list of mediators according to certain standards, so as to guide parties concerned in selecting an appropriate mediation organization or mediator for dispute resolution. The people's court may make adjustments to the name list of mediation organizations and the name list of mediators in a timely manner according to the actual situation.

    26.有条件的地方人民法院可以按照一定标准建立调解组织名册和调解员名册，以便于引导当事人选择合适的调解组织或者调解员调解纠纷。人民法院可以根据具体情况及时调整调解组织名册和调解员名册。

(27) A mediator shall abide by the code of professional ethics for mediators. If a people's court, in the course of handling the relevant cases, discovers that a mediator has an interest in the case, which is likely to exert influence on his/her impartiality and neutrality in the mediation, or a mediator indulges in any violation of the code of professional ethics, the people's court shall inform such mediator to withdraw from the mediation, assign a new mediator, terminate the mediation process or take other appropriate measures. Unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties concerned, the people's court shall not permit a mediator to act as an agent for any party involved in the proceeding with respect to the same dispute or the relevant dispute if such mediator has participated in the mediation.

    27.调解员应当遵守调解员职业道德准则。人民法院在办理相关案件过程中发现调解员与参与调解的案件有利害关系，可能影响其保持中立、公平调解的，或者调解员有其他违反职业道德准则的行为的，应当告知调解员回避、更换调解员、终止调解或者采取其他适当措施。除非当事人另有约定，人民法院不允许调解员在参与调解后又在就同一纠纷或者相关纠纷进行的诉讼程序中作为一方当事人的代理人。

(28) A people's court shall, based on its actual needs, appoint its relevant department or person within the court to take charge of the work of administering the coordination and communication with mediation organizations and mediators, and providing training and guidance thereto,

    28.根据工作需要，人民法院指定院内有关单位或者人员负责管理协调与调解组织、调解员的沟通联络、培训指导等工作。

(29) The people's courts at all levels shall strengthen communication with other State organs, social organizations, enterprises, institutions and other organizations, encourage innovation of a variety of non-litigation dispute resolution mechanisms, participate in the establishment and construction of a variety of non-litigation dispute resolution mechanisms by appropriate means, sort out various relations in the course of combination of litigation and non-litigation strategies, and initiatively promote the establishment and improvement of various non-litigation dispute resolution mechanisms.

    29.各级人民法院应当加强与其他国家机关、社会组织、企事业单位和相关组织的联系，鼓励各种非诉讼纠纷解决机制的创新，通过适当方式参与各种非诉讼纠纷解决机制的建设，理顺诉讼与非诉讼相衔接过程中出现的各种关系，积极推动各种非诉讼纠纷解决机制的建立和完善。

(30) The people's courts at all levels in all regions shall formulate regulations regarding mediator qualifications, professional ethics, mediation charges, burden of litigation cost, mediation administration, mediation guidance, methods of combination, etc. based on the actual situation. The relevant working regulations formulated by the high people's courts shall be reported to the Supreme People's Court for filing. The relevant working regulations formulated by the basic and intermediate people's courts shall be reported to the relevant high people's courts for filing.

    30.地方各级人民法院应当根据实际情况，制定关于调解员条件、职业道德、调解费用、诉讼费用负担、调解管理、调解指导、衔接方式等规范。高级人民法院制定的相关工作规范应当报最高人民法院备案。基层人民法院和中级人民法院制定的相关工作规范应当报高级人民法院备案。