DIS 2025 Statistics – Record Caseload in 2025

1. Caseload and Case Values

The cases filed in 2025 break down as follows:

• 193 (89%) DIS arbitrations
• 7 (3%) DIS/Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) arbitrations
• 14 (6%) ADR and other proceedings
• 4 (2%) DIS sports arbitration

Among the 193 arbitrations conducted under the DIS Arbitration Rules of 2018:

• 170 cases applied DIS Arbitration Rules
• 5 cases applied Annex 4 (expedited proceedings), demonstrating demand for faster dispute resolution
• 16 cases applied Annex 5 (Supplementary Rules for Corporate Disputes), highlighting the continued relevance of corporate arbitration in shareholder matters

The total value of disputes in DIS arbitration amounted to almost €4 billion, continuing the upward trend set in 2024. This confirms that DIS arbitration is increasingly employed for high-value, complex disputes, reinforcing its position as a trusted option for sensitive commercial conflicts.

2. International Nature of DIS Proceedings

As arbitration continues as a preferred mechanism for cross-border disputes, the international reach of DIS cases remains strong:

• 25% of cases (54) involved parties from outside Germany on one side.
• 5% of cases (12) involved parties from outside Germany on both sides.
• 70% of cases (152) were purely domestic.

As for the language of the proceedings,

• 71% of cases (155) were conducted in German.
• 29% of cases (63) were conducted in English.

3. Multi-Party Arbitrations (DIS Arbitrations incl. IHK)

• 27% of arbitrations (52) involved three or more parties.
• The remaining 73% (141) were traditional bilateral disputes.

DIS’ procedural flexibility, particularly its provisions for joinder and consolidation, provides a robust framework for efficiently resolving disputes involving multiple stakeholders.

4. Industries and Sectors

DIS arbitration is utilized across a broad spectrum of industries, reflecting its adaptability to various commercial needs. The top three sectors in 2025 were:

1. energy supply (23 cases)
2. services (business) (18 cases) and
3. hospitality (16 cases)

The most common subject matters in 2025 were:

• Share Purchase Agreements (SPA) disputes (55 cases),
• purchase & supply contract disputes (25 cases) and
• contracts for work and labour (12 cases).

These trends confirm that DIS remains the provider of choice for complex, high-value disputes across diverse industries.

5. Gender Diversity in Arbitrator Appointments

Diversity in arbitrator appointments continues to be an important focus for the arbitration community. 

• 47.8% of arbitrators appointed by the DIS were women, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to increasing female representation in arbitration.
• 20.1% of arbitrators appointed by parties were women, reflecting a continued gender gap in party appointments.
• 28% of arbitrators appointed by co-arbitrators were women.

Overall, 26.23% of arbitrators in DIS proceedings were female, an increase from 21.73% in 2024. While showing progress, these figures also underscore the need for continued efforts to promote gender diversity in arbitration.

Your DIS Team
 

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