DIFC Announces Consultation on amended DIFC Arbitration Law

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, is proposing amendments to its DIFC Arbitration Law. Developed in close cooperation with the DIFC Courts and leading practitioners, the proposed amendments seek to introduce substantive changes that significantly modernise the DIFC arbitration framework in line with current common law practice.

Jacques Visser, Chief Legal Officer at DIFC Authority, said: “DIFC is pleased to launch a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Arbitration Law, introducing significant reforms including enhanced tribunal powers, summary determination, security for costs, emergency arbitrator enforcement, and a new mediation framework, further strengthening efficiency and reinforcing the DIFC’s position as a leading international arbitration hub.”

The DIFC Arbitration Law, originally enacted in 2008 has provided a strong foundation for nearly two decades. However, given significant developments in arbitral practice since then, these amendments aim to modernise the framework and ensure it reflects current best practices. In doing so, they draw on a comparative review of leading institutional rules, including those of the LCIA, ICC and DIAC, and arbitration legislation in key jurisdictions such as England & Wales, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia, reinforcing the DIFC’s position as a progressive, pro-arbitration international financial centre.

The proposed amendments to the DIFC Arbitration Law aim to clarify the transitional scope, modernise communication and drafting, introduce more flexible confidentiality exceptions, prohibit discrimination, and address issues relating to ex parte applications and the court enforcement of interim measures. They also adopt a “reasonable opportunity” standard, refine the costs regime, and shorten the time limit for challenging awards.

In addition, the amendments introduce new provisions empowering the DIFC Court to extend the time for commencing arbitration and clarify the law applicable to arbitration agreements. The amendments grant arbitral tribunals expanded powers and procedural tools, including security for costs, consolidation, joinder, summary determination, provisional awards, peremptory orders, and the appointment of Emergency Arbitrators.

The amendments further establish new regimes governing third-party funding and the conduct of parties and their representatives, together with associated sanctions. They also clarify the tribunal’s remedial powers, confirm the ability to issue partial and separate awards, and introduce specific provisions addressing the award of interest and the court’s power to extend the time for issuing awards.

Further details about the proposed amendments can be found in Consultation Paper No. 2 of 2026, available here. The proposed regulations have been published for a 30-day public consultation period with the deadline for providing comments ending on 10 July 2026.