Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions

Newly introduced in the 2026 Rules, the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions are designed for parties seeking a final award within three months. Key features include:  

• Front-loaded written submissions: the claimant files its Request together with the Statement of Claim from the outset. Similarly, after receiving the Request and Statement of Claim, the respondent submits its Answer and Statement of Defence together.
• The dispute will be decided by a sole arbitrator. 
• Initial case management conference held within 7 days of the sole arbitrator’s receipt of the file from the Secretariat.
• The sole arbitrator may adopt procedural measures it considers appropriate, including limiting the number, length, and scope of written submissions, limiting written witness evidence, and excluding document production. 
• The sole arbitrator may decide the case solely based on documents, with no hearing and examination of witnesses and experts.
• The sole arbitrator should make its final award three months from the initial case management conference.
• Joinder of additional parties and consolidation are not permitted. 

For more information, see below and the Note to Parties and Arbitral Tribunals on the Conduct of ICC Arbitration.  

Scope of the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions 

All parties must expressly agree for the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions to apply. Regardless of the amount in dispute, the parties may opt-in to the Provisions. Such opt-in agreements can be concluded at any time (see Standard ICC Arbitration clauses).  

The parties’ agreement to apply the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions would normally occur before the filing of the Request, either in the arbitration agreement or other written agreement of the parties, although parties may also agree subsequent to the commencement of the proceedings. As the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions provide for different time limits to those in the Rules, including for filing the Answer and for the parties to jointly nominate the sole arbitrator, when agreeing to opt-in to the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions after the commencement of the arbitration, the parties would also be expected to agree if and how any pending time limits should be modified. 

At any time during the proceedings, the Provisions shall no longer apply if:  

• the parties so agree; or  

• the Court, on its own motion or upon the request of a party or the sole arbitrator, decides that the Provisions shall no longer apply. In such case, the Court shall decide whether the arbitration shall continue under the Expedited Procedure Provisions or the Rules.  

Initial Steps 

The claimant files its Request together with the Statement of Claim (“Request and Statement of Claim”). Upon receipt, the Secretary General will assess whether an arbitration agreement binding the parties under the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions may exist. If the Secretary General is prima facie satisfied such arbitration agreement may exist, the arbitration will proceed under the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions. The Secretariat will transmit a copy of the Request and Statement of Claim to the respondent. Otherwise, the arbitration shall continue under either the Expedited Procedure Provisions or the Rules. 

Upon receipt of the Request and Statement of Claim, the respondent should: 

• within 20 days, provide details of its representatives, observations or proposals concerning the appointment of the sole arbitrator (in the event the parties are unable to jointly nominate a sole arbitrator); any comments on the place of arbitration, applicable rules of law and language of arbitration; as well as a list of persons and entities which they believe the prospective arbitrator should consider in complying with their disclosure obligations. Having this information as early as possible will enable the Court and Secretary General to take any necessary decisions. 

• within 30 days, file the Answer with the Statement of Defence (“Answer and Statement of Defence”), and if any, the Statement of Counterclaim (“Statement of Counterclaim”)  

If the respondent files a Statement of Counterclaim, the claimant shall submit a Reply to the Counterclaims (“Reply to Counterclaim”) within 20 days from receipt or other time determined by the sole arbitrator,  

The Secretariat will not grant any extension of time unless agreed by the parties. 

If the respondent does not submit an Answer and Statement of Defence, or if any party raises one or more pleas concerning the existence, validity or scope of the arbitration agreement or concerning whether all of the claims made in the arbitration may be determined together in a single arbitration, the arbitration shall proceed, and the arbitral tribunal shall decide any question of jurisdiction or whether the claims may be determined together in that arbitration. Such pleas will not be referred to the Court for its decision pursuant to Article 7(2) of the Rules. 

If the parties have not agreed on the place of arbitration, the Court shall fix it before appointing the sole arbitrator. Parties are encouraged to agree upon the place of arbitration in the arbitration agreement to prevent any delays in the initial steps of the arbitration. 

Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal  

The dispute shall be decided by a sole arbitrator, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the arbitration agreement. Should parties wish to have a three-member arbitral tribunal, they should opt for arbitration under the Rules. 

The parties shall jointly nominate the sole arbitrator within 20 days from the date when the respondent receives the Request and Statement of Claim. Upon their mutual agreement, the parties can extend the time limit for the nomination of the sole arbitrator. If the parties fail to jointly nominate the sole arbitrator within the time limit, the Court shall directly appoint the sole arbitrator. 

Fees and Costs 

The Scales of Administrative Expenses and Arbitrator’s Fees for Expedited Procedure Provisions and Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions set out in the Schedule of Fees, where parties benefit from lower tribunal fees, apply to all Highly Expedited Arbitrations. The Cost Calculator is available to generate, for illustrative purposes only, an estimate of the likely costs of arbitration according to the Rules and the Schedule of Fees. 

When filing its Request and Statement of Claim, the claimant must also pay the filing fee of US$ 5,000. 

The Secretary General will fix the advance on costs, calculated in accordance with the current amount in dispute, in an amount likely to cover the fees and expenses of the sole arbitrator, the ICC administrative expenses, and any other expenses incurred by ICC in relation to the case.

 When notifying the Request and Statement of Claim to the respondent, the Secretariat will also invite the parties to pay the advance on costs in equal shares. If any party does not pay its share of the advance on costs, the Secretariat may invite the other party to make such payment in substitution. 

The Secretariat will only transmit the file to the sole arbitrator, once confirmed or appointed, if the share of the advance on costs requested at that stage has been paid.  

The Secretary General may readjust the advance on costs if counterclaims are raised by the respondent, the amount in dispute otherwise changes during the proceedings, or the circumstances of the case would otherwise warrant it. 

Proceedings and Final Award 

The sole arbitrator shall hold the initial Case Management Conference (“CMC”) within 7 days after receiving the file from the Secretariat. During this initial CMC, the sole arbitrator shall consult the parties on the procedural measures to be adopted and establish a procedural timetable. The time limit for the initial CMC may be extended by the Secretary General (i) upon a reasoned request from the sole arbitrator, or (ii) at the Secretary General’s own initiative, if the Secretary General decides it is necessary to do so. 

The sole arbitrator has discretion to adopt such procedural measures it considers appropriate to conduct the arbitration in accordance with the time limits established. In particular, after giving the parties an opportunity to state their views, the sole arbitrator may: (i) decide the case on documents only, with neither a hearing nor examination of witnesses, (ii) decide not to allow requests for the production of documents, and/or (iii) limit the number, scope and length of submissions. 

The final award shall be made within three months from the date of the initial CMC. The Court expects arbitral tribunals acting under the Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions to conduct the procedure in such a way as to comply with this time limit, with no need for extensions. If an extension is nonetheless needed, the sole arbitrator shall submit a reasoned application to the President of the Court. The sole arbitrator is expected to submit the draft award in sufficient time to allow for approval by the Court and notification to the parties before the time limit for making the award expires.  

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