Sessions and Events

  • 22 June–10 July 2026, New York
  • 16-20 February 2026, New York 
  • 28 September-2 October 2026, Vienna (tentative)
  • 12-16 January 2026, New York
  • 23-27 March 2026, Vienna
  • 12-16 October 2026, Vienna (tentative)
  • 23-27 March 2026, New York
  • 5-9 October 2026, Vienna (tentative)
  • 13-17 April 2026, New York
  • 16-20 November 2026, Vienna (tentative)
  • 20-24 April 2026, New York
  • 9-13 November 2026, Vienna (tentative)

Events

10 February 2026 to 13 February 2026

 

At its fifty-eighth session (Vienna, 7–23 July 2025), the Commission requested the UNCITRAL secretariat (i) to continue exploratory work on secured transactions using new types of assets and (ii) to commence exploratory work on digital platforms and private law, and agreed to hold colloquiums on these topics.

In line with that request, the secretariat is organizing a four-day Colloquium at United Nations Headquarters in New York (10–13 February 2026). The Colloquium brings the two topics together under a common theme of digital trade and finance, reflecting that digital trade is increasingly characterized by new types of assets, new ways of trading and financing trade, and a shared dependence on data and digital ecosystems. It aims to foster dialogue across governments, international and regional organizations, academia and the private sector, and to draw out cross-cutting concepts and issues so as to support a coherent approach to possible future work by the Commission. For further information: UNCITRAL Colloquium on "Harmonizing law in the age of digital trade and finance", 

19 January 2026 to 22 January 2026

At its 58th session (Vienna, 7-23 July 2025) (see A/80/17, para. 245, 270 and 347), the Commission requested the UNCITRAL secretariat to undertake exploratory and preparatory work on digital payments and paperless trade respectively, including by holding colloquiums on these topics. In line with that request, the secretariat is organizing a Colloquium in two parts: Part I on digital payments (19-20 January 2026) and Part II on paperless trade (21-22 January 2026). The Colloquium is intended to advance the exploratory and preparatory work, consistent with UNCITRAL’s efforts to provide an enabling legal framework and guidance supportive of end-to-end trade digitalization, of which digital payments and paperless trade are two key components. The outcomes of the Colloquium will be presented to the Commission for consideration at its fifty-ninth session (New York, 22 June – 10 July 2026). For further information: https://uncitral.un.org/en/paymentspaperlesstrade

11 December 2025 to 12 December 2025

At its fifty-eighth session, in 2025, the Commission endorsed the proposal to hold a colloquium to discuss possible updates to the Guide to Enactment and Interpretation of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency  (A/80/17, paras. 250, 256 and 347). 
 
The colloquium will take place on 11-12 December 2025, in the Vienna International Centre, after the sixty-seventh session of Working Group V. A report of the colloquium will be submitted to the Commission for consideration at its fifty-ninth session.

08 December 2025 to 09 December 2025

This is the first in a series of events being organized by the UNCITRAL secretariat to advance exploratory work on digital platforms and private law that was requested by the Commission at its 58th session (Vienna, 7–23 July 2025) (see A/80/17, para. 22(e)(iv)). The event is being co-organized by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism of the United Arab Emirates, which, together with Spain, submitted a proposal to the Commission on possible future work on legal aspects of digital trade, with a special focus on digital platforms (A/CN.9/1227).

01 December 2025 to 02 December 2025

Jointly organised by UNCITRAL RCAP and the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the 6th UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit will take place from 1 to 2 December 2025. A biennial flagship event, this year’s theme is “The Future is Now: Legally Enabling Digitalization of International Trade.” The Summit brings together senior members of the judiciary, legal professionals, policymakers and international experts in the region to discuss the role of the judiciary in promoting progressive harmonization of international commercial law, particularly through uniform interpretation and application of UNCITRAL legal instruments. Further information available at: https://uncitral.un.org/en/SixthJudicialSummit2025 

New Articles

14 January 2026

Egypt signed the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, also known as the “Singapore Convention on Mediation”, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 13 January 2026. Read the full press release here.

17 December 2025

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, a landmark treaty that extends the long-established benefits of maritime bills of lading to all modes of transport. For the first time in history, goods carried by road, rail, air or sea could be represented by a single negotiable document—on paper or in electronic form. Read the full press release here.

02 December 2025

Kyrgyzstan has acceded to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, also known as the “Singapore Convention on Mediation”. The accession by Kyrgyzstan was effected on 1 December 2025. Kyrgyzstan becomes the twentieth State party to the Singapore Convention on Mediation, which will enter into force for Kyrgyzstan on 1 June 2026. Read the full press release here.