From Global to Regional: How Geopolitics, Sanctions, and EU Regulation Are Rewriting International Arbitration

Presentation

Once defined by neutrality and global harmonization, international arbitration is being reshaped by a powerful turn toward regionalization. Geopolitical rivalry is driving parties to re-think seats, institutions, and enforcement risk; sanctions are introducing new layers of illegality, payment friction, and due process challenges; and the expanding reach of EU regulation—from autonomy doctrines to competition, data, and sustainability rules—is recalibrating the balance between arbitral freedom and public policy oversight. This session will examine how these forces are fragmenting procedural choices, accelerating forum and law shopping within regional spheres of influence, and reconfiguring strategy across commercial and investment disputes. Participants will gain practical insight into drafting for sanctions exposure, planning around enforcement choke points, aligning with EU regulatory constraints, and future proofing cross border dispute clauses in an era where “international” increasingly means “regional by design.”