The International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) has released the 2026 ICC Rules of Arbitration (the “2026 Rules”). These new rules apply to arbitrations commenced on or after June 1, 2026, unless the parties have agreed to submit to the Rules in effect on an earlier date.
The 2026 Rules introduce targeted updates to the 2021 ICC Rules of Arbitration (the “2021 Rules”) designed to improve efficiency, clarity, and case management while preserving the flexibility, neutrality, and procedural integrity that underpin ICC Arbitration. Parties and counsel with existing or future ICC arbitration agreements should review these changes carefully.
1. Elimination of Terms of Reference: The Initial Case Management Conference Now Serves as Claim Cutoff Date
