In April 2023,the UK government announced its intention to sign the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation. The convention aims to establish a consistent and effective system for recognizing and enforcing mediated settlement agreements in cross-border disputes. Notably, other signatories to the Convention include the USA, China, India, Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Chad among others.

The Singapore Convention will provide the UK with a more efficient process for cross-border recognition and enforcement of mediated settlement agreements, which will facilitate international trade and commerce between signatory nations. It will also integrate mediation as a mandatory step within the court process for civil claims in England and Wales, which is expected to further boost the mediation sector and strengthen the UK’s position as a mediation hub.

The UK government has indicated that it will ratify the Singapore Convention once all necessary implementing legislation and rules have been established to facilitate its coming into force. The Singapore Convention is expected to come into effect in the UK six months after ratification, and the UK government has also indicated that it will promote the Singapore Convention internationally to encourage more ratifications.