July 31, 2026
The UNIDROIT Secretariate has launched three public consultations on the following draft instruments:
(i) UNIDROIT-ICC Principles and Model Clauses for International Investment Contracts
(ii) UNIDROIT Principles on the Legal Nature of Verified Carbon Credits, and
(iii) UNIDROIT/FAO/IFAD Legal Guide on Collaborative Legal Structures for Agricultural Enterprises.
1. Consultation on draft UNIDROIT-ICC Principles and Model Clauses for International Investment Contracts
This draft instrument has been developed by the Working Group on International Investment Contracts, as part of a project conducted by UNIDROIT in cooperation with the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) Institute of World Business Law. It aims to promote the modernisation and standardisation of international investment contracts in light of the evolving landscape of investment law and arbitration.
The draft instrument builds upon the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (UPICC), incorporating, adapting, and supplementing them to reflect the specific characteristics of international investment contracts. It also addresses investment-specific issues, including contractual investor protections and sustainability-related obligations and commitments. It seeks to strike a balance between the interests of States and investors at the contractual level while promoting sustainable investment.
The consultation runs until 15 September 2026. Comments may be submitted to the UNIDROIT Secretariat at IICs-consultation@unidroit.org. All information regarding the consultation, including the text of the draft instrument, is available on the dedicated consultation webpage: https://www.unidroit.org/work-in-progress/investment-contracts-upicc/2026-wg-pc/.
2. Consultation on draft UNIDROIT Principles on the Legal Nature of Verified Carbon Credits
The draft UNIDROIT Principles on the Legal Nature of Verified Carbon Credits (VCCs) provide legislative guidance on private law issues to enhance confidence in VCC transactions and support the development of a well-functioning carbon market. The instrument’s focus is on proprietary rights, specifically where VCCs are the object of dispositions and acquisitions, and where rights and interests in VCCs are to be asserted against third parties.
The prospective instrument builds on UNIDROIT’s work on digital assets and adapts the proprietary framework to the specificities of VCCs. The draft Principles aim to strike an appropriate balance between traditional notions of property law common across jurisdictions with the commercial realities of a growing market in need of scaling.
The consultation runs until 21 September 2026. Comments may be submitted to the UNIDROIT Secretariat at VCC-consultation@unidroit.org. All information regarding the consultation, including the text of the draft instrument, is available on the dedicated consultation webpage: https://www.unidroit.org/work-in-progress/verified-carbon-credits/2026-wg-pc/.
3. Consultation on draft UNIDROIT/FAO/IFAD Legal Guide on Collaborative Legal Structures for Agricultural Enterprises
The draft Legal Guide on Collaborative Legal Structures for Agricultural Enterprises constitutes the third instrument developed in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), following the Legal Guide on Contract Farming (finalised in 2015) and the Legal Guide on Agricultural Land Investment Contracts (finalised in 2021).
The draft CLSAE Legal Guide contains five Chapters and aims to provide guidance on collaborative legal structures with a particular focus on smallholders and agricultural micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (agri-MSMEs) to support their increased participation in agrifood value chains. The future instrument seeks to provide an illustrative “menu” of options for collaborative legal structures to develop entrepreneurial activities in the agricultural sector, divided into three categories of legal structures that are considered both separately and jointly: (i) multiparty contracts, (ii) cooperatives, and (iii) companies. The Guide also refers to digital platforms as an organisational tool that may be used by conventional legal structures for collaboration purposes. The future Guide is intended for use by those who provide advisory and capacity-building support to smallholders and agri-MSMEs, including those involved in drafting contracts and internal regulations.
The consultation runs until 20 September 2026. Comments may be submitted to the UNIDROIT Secretariat at CLSAE-consultation@unidroit.org. All information regarding the consultation, including the text of the draft instrument, is available on the dedicated consultation page: https://www.unidroit.org/work-in-progress/clsae-consultation/.