BGP Litigation assisted the clients with recognition and enforcement of the Russian arbitral awards in Germany, Canada, and the UAE

BGP Litigation successfully represented three clients in court proceedings in Germany, Canada, and the UAE, securing recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards rendered by the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (ICAC at the RF CCI) in these jurisdictions.

Germany

In mid-2024, BGP Litigation initiated proceedings to recognise an ICAC at the RF CCI award before the Higher Regional Court of Berlin on behalf of a Russian company. The German debtor objected, arguing that the arbitration clause had not been validly concluded and that recognition would violate German public policy due to sanction restrictions, including the application of Article 11 of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014.

At the court hearing in April 2025, the court found no grounds for applying EU sanctions and approved a settlement agreement under which the debtor undertook to pay the debt. Subsequently, due to the debtor’s failure to comply with the settlement agreement, enforcement proceedings were initiated, through which the debt was recovered and the funds were ultimately transferred to the creditor in Russia.

Canada

In 2021, a Russian company filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to recognise and enforce an ICAC at the RF CCI award against a Canadian debtor. BGP Litigation joined the project in 2024 and organised the further conduct of the proceedings.

In December 2025, following a court hearing, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted recognition and enforcement of the ICAC at the RF CCI award, finding that it did not violate Canadian public policy and dismissing the debtor’s motions aimed at delaying the proceedings.

UAE

In October 2025, BGP Litigation arranged for a Russian company’s application for recognition of an ICAC at the RF CCI award to be filed with the Ras Al Khaimah Court, which granted the application in the same month.

Subsequently, in December 2025, the decision of the court of first instance was upheld by the Ras Al Khaimah Court of Appeal, and in February 2026 by the Ras Al Khaimah Court of Cassation. Thus, courts at all three levels found that there were no grounds for refusing recognition and enforcement of the ICAC at the RF CCI award.

The three matters were led by Maxim Kuzmin, Partner, head of the Cross-Border Disputes Practice at BGP Litigation.