This volume is the first of a series edited by the International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) - The PCA/Peace Palace Papers - which contains the papers emanating from the semi-annual seminars organized by the PCA in the Peace Palace. Each seminar focuses on a topical issue of international law. The first seminar was held on 9 December, 1999 and dealt with institutional and procedural aspects of mass claims settlement systems. Four speakers from Europe and the United States shared their practical experience with the respective systems dealing with mass claims.