International Legal News | 26 October 2026
Each week, Outline Chambers provides a concise overview of key developments across international law, arbitration and global governance.
This week’s selection highlights how increasingly interconnected international legal practice has become, from sanctions and regulatory enforcement to investment arbitration, cross-border litigation and international criminal law. Together, these developments show how geopolitical tensions continue to shape courts, businesses and legal practitioners across jurisdictions.
US sanctions international law firm over alleged Iranian shipping network links
The US Treasury has sanctioned a Greece - and Panama-based law firm, alleging that it helped establish corporate structures concealing ownership of vessels involved in Iranian commodity exports.
The action also targets shipping agents in Singapore and the UAE, raising significant questions for law firms, corporate service providers and financial institutions regarding sanctions exposure, beneficial ownership and AML compliance.
Singapore Court of Appeal rejects Spain's challenge to enforcement of ICSID award
Singapore's Court of Appeal has dismissed Spain's challenge to the registration of an investment arbitration award obtained by two Dutch subsidiaries of NextEra Energy. The judgment is significant for international arbitration, sovereign immunity and the enforcement of ICSID awards outside the European Union.
Source: Singapore Court of Appeal Kingdom of Spain v NextEra Energy Global Holdings BV and Another, [2026] SGCA 43
UK Court of Appeal upholds jurisdiction over $273 million India-UAE investment treaty claim
The English Court of Appeal has rejected India's challenge to the jurisdiction of an UNCITRAL tribunal over a $273 million claim brought by the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority. The decision is relevant to investment treaty interpretation, state liability and challenges to arbitral jurisdiction under the Arbitration Act 1996.
EU Court of Justice rules on access to lawyers in criminal proceedings
The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that Hungary and the Czech Republic breached EU law by permitting suspects to be questioned without a lawyer in circumstances where the lawyer had failed to attend within nationally prescribed periods. The judgment reinforces procedural safeguards in EU criminal proceedings and has implications for cross-border cooperation and mutual recognition of judicial decisions.
UK Supreme Court rules on tax treatment of regulatory redress payments
In ScottishPower v HMRC, the Supreme Court has held that payments made to customers and charities under regulatory settlements could not be deducted in calculating taxable trading profits. The judgment is relevant to regulated businesses negotiating settlements with authorities and to the interaction between regulatory enforcement and corporation tax.
Source: UK Supreme Court ScottishPower (SCPL) Limited and Others v HMRC, [2026] UKSC 35 US sanctions against the ICC and the EU's response
The United States has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court, prompting further concern among European governments and institutions about the practical effects of the measures on the Court and organisations working with it. The development raises significant issues for international criminal law, sanctions compliance and the protection of international judicial institutions.
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