Efficiency by Design – the 2026 ICC
Arbitration Rules

The 2026 ICC Arbitration Rules ("2026 ICC Rules") came into force on 1 June 2026. Applicable to all requests for arbitration filed on or after that date (unless the parties agree to submit to the Rules in effect on an earlier date), the new 2026 ICC Rules mark a significant revision of the previous 2021 ICC Rules. They reflect recent developments in arbitration practice and aim to enhance clarity, efficiency and user-friendliness.Among the key changes introduced in the 2026 ICC Rules are the removal of mandatory terms of reference, a broadened emergency arbitration framework and the introduction of a Highly Expedited Arbitration Procedure, designed to deliver a final, enforceable award in just over three months.