Inna Yemelianova, a Vice President of the International Commercial Arbitration Court and the Maritime Arbitration Commission at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, participated in the 14th International Judicial and Legal Forum, organized by the publishing house “Yuridichna Praktika,” which took place in Kyiv on 4-5 June.
During the session “Judicial Protection of Business,” Inna Yemelianova delivered a presentation titled “Expanding the Jurisdiction of International Arbitration in Ukraine: A New Stage in the Development of Pro-Arbitration Jurisdiction,” focusing on legislative changes that opened new prospects for international commercial and investment arbitration in Ukraine.
She highlighted the provisions of the Law of Ukraine No. 4856-IX, which significantly expanded the criteria for determining the international nature of disputes and empowered international commercial arbitration to hear investment disputes.
“Law No. 4856-IX opens up the opportunity for Ukraine to compete not merely for individual investment disputes, but for the status of a venue for investment arbitration. This is no longer about individual cases, it is rather about Ukraine’s place on the international arbitration map.
It is about the transition from the model of ‘Ukraine as a party to investment disputes’ to the model of ‘Ukraine as a venue for investment disputes,’” emphasized Inna Yemelianova.
The speaker outlined that, for the first time at the legislative level, the state had effectively declared its support for the development of national arbitration institutions as a key component of the country’s legal and investment infrastructure.
“The law effectively guides the state in three directions. The first is the formulation of state policy to promote Ukraine as a venue for arbitration. The second is promoting the use of arbitration by the public sector of the economy. The third is supporting the activities of Ukraine’s permanent arbitration institutions,” – noted Inna Yemelianova.
Concluding her remarks, the speaker noted that the adoption of Law No. 4856 is a landmark event for the development of international arbitration in Ukraine. According to Ms Yemelianova, from that point on, the key task was the effective implementation of new legislative opportunities, the formation of an appropriate institutional infrastructure, and the consistent promotion of Ukraine as a modern venue for resolving international commercial and investment disputes.
In addition, forum participants were presented with up-to-date statistics on the ICAC’s activities, specifically regarding the number of cases registered, the duration of proceedings, and the challengeability of arbitral awards, which confirmed the effectiveness and reliability of the arbitration mechanism for resolving international commercial disputes in Ukraine.
“The performance metrics of the ICAC demonstrate a high level of business confidence in the institution, despite operating under martial law. In 2025, the ICAC accepted more than 300 cases, with parties to the arbitration proceedings representing approximately 50 countries worldwide. These figures confirm that the ICAC is a reputable international arbitration institution and a reliable platform for resolving cross-border commercial disputes,” noted Inna Yemelianova.
