United Kingdom: International Law

The Supreme Court has fundamentally altered the landscape for cross-border debt recovery by ruling that foreign judgments can support bankruptcy petitions without prior recognition in England and Wales. This decision removes procedural barriers that previously forced creditors to navigate costly and time-consuming recognition processes before accessing insolvency-based enforcement mechanisms. The judgment aligns England and Wales with other leading jurisdictions while providing creditors with faster access

The International Chamber of Commerce has introduced its 2026 Rules of Arbitration, bringing significant procedural changes to enhance efficiency and clarity in ICC arbitrations. Key amendments include making Terms of Reference optional, introducing Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions, and codifying established practices around arbitrator disclosure and early determination procedures. These changes reflect the evolution of international arbitration practice and align ICC procedures with other leading ar

Recent Russian Supreme Court rulings have created significant obstacles for enforcing international arbitration awards against Russian parties, particularly when arbitrators originate from politically "unfriendly" jurisdictions. English courts continue to assert jurisdiction and enforce arbitral orders, but the practical challenge of ultimate enforcement in Russian courts persists. Understanding these jurisdictional complexities and implementing strategic safeguards has become essential for parties engaged

The Hormuz crisis has exposed critical vulnerabilities in Asia's refining and petrochemical sectors, where dependence on Middle Eastern crude flows through the Strait creates immediate margin compression and covenant pressure. As disruptions translate into plant-level losses across the region, lenders face the urgent task of distinguishing assets that can weather the storm from those approaching insolvency.

In this post we bring you a round-up of recent developments relating to the enforcement of UK trade sanctions breaches, together with news of further Russia-related designations

For decades, discussions surrounding international trade barriers have centred primarily on tariffs. Import duties, customs procedures, and trade disputes have traditionally represented the most visible obstacles facing businesses operating between nations. However, as global trade enters a new phase, Italian exporters are now encountering a different set of challenges which often have a greater impact on competitiveness than tariffs themselves.

Two UK companies have been fined a combined total of over £237,000 for breaches of export control regulations involving unlicensed exports of military-listed goods. The companies secured compound settlements with HMRC after voluntarily disclosing the violations, which were deemed inadvertent or due to weaknesses in internal controls.

This weekly update examines the latest developments in UK sanctions enforcement, including new OFSI guidance on basic needs allowance licences, updates to the UK Sanctions List targeting Iran and Russian cyber networks, amendments to arbitration costs general licences, and a landmark Crown Court ruling that clarifies the legal interpretation of "making available" and "ordinarily resident" under Russia sanctions regulations.

UK tax authority HMRC has imposed its largest-ever compound settlement fine of £6.4 million on Airbus Operations Limited for sustained violations of strategic export control regulations. The aerospace manufacturer self-reported multiple breaches involving failures to maintain accurate records and registers required under its Open General Export Licences, marking a significant enforcement action in the UK's export controls regime.