The CEPANI 2026 Arbitration Rules: 5 Key Changes

CEPANI, the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, has issued new Arbitration Rules entering into force on 1 June 2026, building on the modernisation achieved in the 2020 revision with the core objective of delivering a clearer, more efficient dispute resolution framework. Below is an overview of what we consider to be the five most noteworthy changes.

Embedding ADR and Mediation in the Arbitral Process

The 2026 Rules formally embed mediation at every stage of the arbitral process. The request for arbitration must now include any proposal by the claimant to submit all or part of the dispute to mediation, including under the CEPANI Mediation Rules. The respondent must accept, comment on, or — in the absence of such a proposal — make its own mediation proposal. Where the parties agree to mediate, the arbitral proceedings are suspended until the mediation has ended.