UAE law amendment allows the use of tech, and includes confidentiality for all arbitral work

Dubai: In line with the country's ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, the UAE government recently issued Federal Decree Law No. 15 of 2023 amending some provisions of Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 on arbitration.

Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, spoke about the amendments and stated that the UAE government continues its efforts to develop the country’s economic legislation through the establishment of flexible and more efficient, progressive laws that enhance the attractiveness of its business environment.

Al Saleh added that these efforts contribute to increasing investor confidence in the local economy and enhancing the UAE’s position as a permanent hub for trade and investment.

A major change in the law is increasing the scope of using modern technological means across all arbitral work - this was earlier restricted to meetings only. This change, in addition to the other amendments, is expected to make the arbitration process more flexible and matching global standards, according to a press release from the Ministry of Economy in the UAE.

Another key change was that confidentiality could be applied for all arbitral work, with the agreement of the parties. This was also restricted just to meetings, and has been amended in 2023.

Other amendments include:

Al Saleh also pointed out that it will promote the UAE's ranking as a leading hub in the adoption of forward-looking legislation, especially after permitting all arbitration work to be conducted via modern technological means or in tech communities.