The DIS Board has been in talks with the Higher Regional Courts, the body tasked with establishing Commercial Courts. The conversations were part of DIS’ regular dialogue with the judiciary.
Commercial Courts will be established as first-instance venues at the Higher Regional Courts for major commercial disputes from April 2025 on. They would be able to conduct proceedings in English if authorized under the law of the federal state. The special procedural law of the Commercial Courts (and Commercial Chambers) has often been inspired by the practice of arbitration.
The initial discussion led to a constructive and lively exchange on the expectations of German and foreign parties, as well as on the handling of arbitration and on the question of the extent to which the Commercial Courts would align themselves accordingly. It was generally agreed that the commercial courts and arbitration community must work together to promote Germany as a strong dispute resolution location.
Reinmar Wolff