In a bid to strengthen its position as a dispute-resolution hub for multinational companies, the Zurich cantonal parliament voted on October 19, 2026, to create an International Commercial Court (ICC) within the existing Commercial Court. Proceedings will be conducted in English—an historic departure from Switzerland’s four national languages and a move designed to lure cross-border litigants who might otherwise head to London, Singapore or Dubai. The concept had been floated as far back as 2019 but became legally feasible only after federal amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure took effect in January 2025, allowing cantons to handle international cases in a foreign language. With a vote of 122-45, legislators instructed a drafting committee to finalise the legal framework; final approval is expected before year-end, with the court likely operational in mid-2027. No extra judges will be hired initially; instead, the ICC will draw on the specialist bench of the Commercial Court. Case numbers are expected to be “in the low single digits” at first, but officials argue the reputational benefits outweigh the modest workload. The Swiss People’s Party opposed the plan, fearing ‘legal tourism’, yet the broad coalition—including Social Democrats and Liberals—supported it as a magnet for high-value international business. Why it matters for mobility teams: large disputes often trigger temporary assignments for in-house counsel, expert witnesses and support staff. Locating such proceedings in Zurich, with English as the courtroom language, lowers the linguistic and logistical barriers for foreign companies and could increase short-term inbound mobility. Firms with existing Swiss hubs should review their immigration and payroll compliance processes for litigation-related travellers. The court also dovetails with Switzerland’s wider strategy to market itself as a stable, neutral venue for international organisations—a point relocation managers can leverage when pitching Switzerland to mobile executives.
Source: SWI swissinfo.ch
