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ARTICLE · 01 JUNE 2026

International Arbitration: Balancing Efficiency And Party Autonomy – The ICC Publishes Its New 2026 Arbitration Rules

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On 22 May 2026, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) published its updated Arbitration Rules (2026 ICC Rules), which will apply to all ICC arbitrations commenced on or after 1 June 2026.

United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Mark Clarke
Mark Clarke
Jonathan Brierley
Jonathan Brierley
Alina Sartogo
Alina Sartogo
Alexander Armytage
Alexander Armytage
James Lack
James Lack
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On 22 May 2026, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) published its updated Arbitration Rules (2026 ICC Rules), which will apply to all ICC arbitrations commenced on or after 1 June 2026. The President of the ICC Court of Arbitration, Claudia Salomon, says the goal is to make arbitration “more efficient, while preserving the flexibility and procedural integrity that parties expect”.

The update comes as ICC arbitration continues to be the preferred choice for users globally.1 The ICC’s caseload has remained consistently high over the past 5 years. In 2025, 894 new cases were filed (compared to 946 in 2020), with 1,869 ongoing cases administered under the ICC Rules at year end (1,833 in 2020), and the value of pending disputes totalling $299 billion ($258 billion in 2020, though this difference is not inflation-adjusted).2

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