The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published the 2016 Programme of Action including its plans in the field of arbitration and ADR. Projects for 2016 include evaluating the intended purpose of the emergency arbitrator proceedings under the 2012 Rules and introducing boilerplate clauses on the use of IT in arbitral proceedings.

The new President of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), Donald Francis Donovan, has taken office succeeding Albert Jan van den Berg and will serve for a period of two years. Meg Kinnear, Secretary General of ICSID, will be taking the post of Vice President of the Governing Board.

The outgoing President of the ICCA, Albert Jan van den Berg, has submitted his ICCA report to the ICCA membership. The report highlights the ICCA's activities over the past two years.

In Mobil Cerro Negro Ltd and others v Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, No. 15-707, 2nd Cir., the US Department of Justice has filed an amicus curiae brief before the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. It argues that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act requires award creditors seeking recognition in the US of a foreign award against a state to proceed by a plenary action, rather than by ex parte proceedings.