Overview
- The federal cabinet approved the government’s modernization draft on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, putting the bill before parliament for debate and possible passage.
- Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig presented the draft that explicitly allows videoconferenced hearings and electronic arbitral awards to reflect common digital business practice.
- The bill removes strict written-form limits by permitting arbitration agreements in text form such as email, and it widens when procedures and documents may be handled in English before German courts.
- New transparency rules would allow publication of arbitral awards with anonymization or pseudonymization to protect trade secrets while raising the visibility of German arbitration decisions, and the draft clarifies how interim measures from tribunals can be enforced.
- The reform builds on the 2025 roll-out of Commercial Courts and is intended to speed and simplify dispute resolution to make Germany a more attractive seat for high-value cross-border commercial arbitration.