The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has introduced the third wave of the Principles for Sustainable Trade which provides greater scope and versatility when evaluating trade sustainability across all sectors. Wave three encompasses industry-tailored guidance on the use of proceeds while highlighting the need to align trade transactions with both socioeconomic and environmental sustainability objectives.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in collaboration with partners Global Credit Data and Boston Consulting Group, has published its 2024 Trade Register Report which reaffirms that trade finance instruments continue to demonstrate minimal risk and the continued low credit risk across all regions: overcoming persistent geopolitical and economic challenges. Despite these prevailing obstacles, these financial instruments proceed to aid in: (1) mitigating risk, (2) maintaining liquidity and (3) enforcing the strength of trade flows.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has announced that its Trade Register has been renamed the ICC Global Trade Intelligence Report to reflect its expanded scope. The first edition under the new name is expected to be published in September 2026. The report has evolved from a trade finance risk benchmarking and analytical resource into a broader source of intelligence on trade finance performance, global trade trends, market developments and economic resilience. The 2026 edition will retain comprehensive trade finance risk benchmarks, including updated default and recovery rates, while providing analysis of the geopolitical, economic and policy developments shaping global trade. The ICC also confirmed that BBVA and Intesa Sanpaolo have joined as contributing members, bringing total participation to 22 global banks.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published its 2024 Dispute Resolution Statistics, reporting 831 new arbitration cases and a record total caseload value of $354bn. The report shows ICC arbitrations were seated in 107 cities across 62 countries, with case values ranging from $10,000 to $53bn. The ICC International Centre for ADR administered 61 new cases, including 37 mediation requests. The statistics demonstrate ICC's continued role in global commercial dispute resolution, with 2,392 parties from 136 jurisdictions participating in proceedings.

STOP PRESS: In April 2026, in response to concerns raised by their members, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) published a document explaining the application of ICC trade finance rules in the context of the Middle East conflict. It confirmed that although developments may affect the commercial environment in which trade transactions occur, they do not alter the application of ICC rules governing documentary trade instruments, such as UCP 600, URDG 758, URC 522, ISP 98, and, where relevant, their electronic supplements. It also explained that provisions within the ICC framework relating to documents being delayed or lost in transit between banks and force majeure provisions may become relevant and highlighted the potential use of electronic presentation. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has developed standard rules and guidance to govern letters of credit. The key publications for commercial letters of credit are: • the Uniform Customs and Practice (UCP) for Documentary Credits which incorporates the Supplement to UCP for Electronic Presentation (known as the eUCP), and

STOP PRESS: In April 2026, in response to concerns raised by their members, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) published a document explaining the application of ICC trade finance rules in the context of the Middle East conflict. It confirmed that although developments may affect the commercial environment in which trade transactions occur, they do not alter the application of ICC rules governing documentary trade instruments, such as UCP 600, URDG 758, URC 522, ISP 98, and, where relevant, their electronic supplements. It also explained that provisions within the ICC framework relating to documents being delayed or lost in transit between banks and force majeure provisions may become relevant and highlighted the potential use of electronic presentation. Standby letters of credit (also known as standby credits) are a type of letter of credit. They are used in similar circumstances to on demand guarantees and performance bonds (see Practice Note: On demand guarantees and bonds). They provide a means for securing payment or other obligations

The ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR has launched a survey on the use of AI in international arbitration and ADR through its Task Force on Artificial Intelligence in Dispute Resolution. According to the ICC, the survey aims to provide a clearer picture of current AI use across the arbitration community and is open to practitioners in all jurisdictions, including counsel, arbitrators, in-house lawyers, state representatives, experts and academics. The ICC says responses are anonymous and the survey is available in English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published an updated Note to Parties and Arbitral Tribunals on the Conduct of ICC Arbitration. The Note has been updated to the 2026 ICC Rules of Arbitration, which came into force on 1 June 2026. It provides practical guidance on the conduct of arbitrations under the Rules and applies to all ICC arbitrations, regardless of the version of the Rules under which they are conducted.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has highlighted that the World Trade Organization (WTO) moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions is set to expire in February 2024. Without an extension, governments could start experimenting with unilateral tariffs on software, digital payments, cloud services, data supporting streaming services etc, which would increase the costs of digital services which global businesses depend on. The ICC is therefore calling on WTO members to renew the agreement at the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference between 26-29 February 2024, and is also urging members to consider its permanent adoption.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General, John W.H. Denton AO, has warned that fertiliser supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and increasing fragmentation of the multilateral trading system could pose serious risks to global food security. Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles on 6 May 2026 and in an interview with Bloomberg, Denton said that, although tariffs had attracted significant public attention, the more substantial threat to global trade arose from structural uncertainty and disruptions to critical supply chains, particularly fertiliser flows through the Strait of Hormuz. He said rising fertiliser costs and supply shortages were already prompting farmers in Africa and Latin America to reduce or abandon planting, creating simultaneous price and supply shocks that could lead to a severe food crisis within months, similar to conditions preceding the 2008 global food crisis and subsequent political instability linked to the Arab Spring. Denton said ICC was working with the UN Secretary-General’s Strait of Hormuz Task Force to develop a mechanism for restoring fertiliser shipments through the corridor, building on ICC’s involvement in the 2022 Black Sea Grain Agreement. He also referred to ICC and Oxford Economic analysis estimating that policy uncertainty reduced global economic activity by approximately USD 250 billion last year and could cost a further USD 380 billion in future, with implications for employment and economic growth. Denton further stated that the failure of the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé demonstrated the declining effectiveness of consensus-based multilateralism, with plurilateral arrangements increasingly filling the gap, and said the private sector would need to assume a greater role in addressing global trade and supply chain challenges.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has welcomed an agreement by 19 countries not to impose duties on e-commerce following the failure of World Trade Organization (WTO) members to reach consensus on renewing the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions at the WTO 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March 2026. The Secretary General of the ICC, John WH Denton AO, described the agreement as a temporary measure and emphasised the importance of securing a clear WTO-wide agreement. He also called on other governments to support efforts to reinstate the moratorium for a commercially appropriate period. The ICC stated that the lapse of the e-commerce moratorium highlighted a significant gap in the WTO framework and expressed concern amid already heightened policy uncertainty affecting the global economy.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA), and Institute for Energy Law (IEL) have announced their 13th annual Joint Conference on International Energy Arbitration, scheduled for 16-17 January 2025 in Houston. The conference will examine key developments in international energy arbitration practice over the preceding year, featuring panels on negotiating arbitration clauses, disputes in emerging energy technologies, enforcement of awards, stabilisation clauses, ESG impacts and recent conflicts of interest issues. Notable speakers include representatives from major energy companies, international law firms, and arbitration institutions. The event also incorporates a young lawyers roundtable and networking opportunities, aiming to provide comprehensive insights for practitioners in the field of energy arbitration.