Prospects for Compliance

Problems of ensuring compliance are central to the negotiation process. Disputes do not necessarily end when the parties first reach agreement. New issues may arise, and settlements may come unglued. Similarly, ambiguity in the language of the agreement may also frustrate implementation. Just as negotiation often begins before the parties sit down to bargain, so may it continue after they leave the table. The period of implementation tests the imagination and energy of the parties; if their agreement proves inadequate, the parties must renegotiate.