Belarus has amended its civil procedure rules – changes that took effect in early 2025. International companies with active or pending claims before Belarusian courts now face revised requirements for court filing, statement of claim preparation, and interim injunction applications. Businesses that do not adapt their litigation posture risk procedural rejection, lost priority, or forfeited interim relief.
The 2025 amendments to Belarusian civil procedure rules introduce revised requirements for the form and content of a statement of claim. Stricter timelines for interim injunction applications. Additionally, updated rules governing judgment enforcement against domestic and foreign parties. These changes apply broadly to commercial disputes heard by ekonomicheskie sudy (economic courts of Belarus), which handle the overwhelming majority of business-related litigation in the country. International companies with existing proceedings or contemplating new claims should review their procedural positions immediately.
This alert explains what changed, which business categories are directly affected, and what actions international companies should take before compliance deadlines pass.
What changed – and when it became effective
Belarusian civil procedure has operated under a consolidated body of legislation governing economic disputes. The 2025 amendments revise several key procedural rules across three main areas.
Statement of claim requirements. The revised rules impose more detailed formal requirements on the content of a statement of claim. A claim must now specify the legal basis with greater particularity. It must also attach supporting documentation at the point of initial filing – not at a later procedural stage. Courts have indicated they will reject claims that fail this threshold without granting automatic leave to amend.
Interim injunction procedure. The grounds and timing requirements for obtaining an interim injunction have been tightened. Applicants must now demonstrate urgency and a risk of irreparable harm at the time of filing – not merely at the hearing. The window between filing and the court's decision on interim measures has been compressed. A missed deadline in the interim injunction process can forfeit the applicant's ability to preserve assets during proceedings.
Judgment enforcement rules. The enforcement regime has been updated to require additional verification steps before a domestic judgment can be executed against assets held through intermediary structures. For foreign companies seeking to enforce a foreign judgment in Belarus. The ekzekvatury (exequatur) procedure. by which a foreign judgment receives recognition under Belarusian civil procedure. now involves additional documentary requirements relating to the originating court's jurisdiction.
All three sets of changes apply to proceedings commenced on or after 1 January 2025. Proceedings already active before that date are subject to transitional rules, but courts have shown limited tolerance for parties that apply pre-amendment procedures to post-amendment filings.
To understand how these changes interact with dispute resolution options in comparable CIS jurisdictions, see our alert on court procedure developments in Russia for a regional comparison.
Who is affected – and the compliance threshold
The amendments apply to any party engaged in litigation before Belarusian economic courts. In practice, international companies fall into three categories of exposure.
Companies with ongoing proceedings. Any international business that filed a claim before 1 January 2025 and has not yet reached judgment should audit its procedural position. Transitional provisions are narrow. Courts have discretion to apply the new rules to procedural steps taken after the effective date – even in older cases.
Companies contemplating new claims. Businesses assessing whether to initiate litigation in Belarus in 2025 or 2026 must plan their statement of claim under the new content requirements from the outset. Drafting to the old standard and then correcting is no longer a viable approach.
Foreign creditors pursuing enforcement. Companies holding foreign judgments or arbitral awards against Belarusian counterparties and seeking judgment enforcement through exequatur must comply with the updated documentary requirements. Failure to satisfy the new verification steps will delay or prevent enforcement entirely.
There is no minimum claim value threshold triggering the amendments. They apply regardless of dispute size. However, the practical impact is greatest for companies with claims above a commercially significant threshold – where interim injunctions are most often sought and where enforcement is most actively contested.
For a full assessment of your litigation exposure before Belarusian courts, contact us at info@ferrazwhitmore.com.
Immediate actions for international companies
Companies with any connection to Belarusian litigation should complete the following steps without delay.
- Audit pending filings. Review every statement of claim filed or in preparation. Confirm that the claim meets the new content and documentary attachment requirements. Supplement or refile where necessary before the next scheduled procedural hearing.
- Reassess interim injunction strategy. If your case involves asset preservation, consult a lawyer in Belarus with current court experience to determine whether an interim injunction application remains viable under the tightened grounds and timeline rules.
- Update enforcement documentation. Foreign creditors should gather additional jurisdictional documentation for their originating court and prepare updated exequatur packages under the revised civil procedure requirements.
- Review dispute resolution clauses. For contracts with Belarusian counterparties not yet in dispute, review whether the agreed forum remains appropriate given the procedural changes. Arbitration clauses referring disputes outside Belarus may offer greater procedural predictability.
- Set internal compliance deadlines. Assign a responsible team member to monitor procedural deadlines in active Belarusian proceedings. The compressed interim injunction timeline in particular requires active calendar management – a missed window cannot be recovered.
International companies operating across the CIS region should also consider how these changes interact with their broader litigation posture. Our litigation and arbitration advisory for Belarus covers the full range of dispute resolution options available to foreign parties.
About Ferraz & Whitmore
Ferraz & Whitmore is an international law firm based in Lisbon, advising clients on commercial litigation, dispute resolution, and judgment enforcement across 46 jurisdictions, including Belarus and the broader CIS region. Our team combines Portuguese civil law expertise with English common law tradition to support international companies facing procedural changes in high-complexity markets. Engaging a lawyer in Belarus through our international counsel network gives clients direct access to current court practice and procedural requirements. As a law firm in Belarus-adjacent practice, we advise on litigation strategy, interim relief, and enforcement from initial claim through to recovery. Our corporate disputes practice in Belarus works with institutional investors, multinational companies, and in-house legal teams that require results-oriented counsel. To discuss how the 2025 court procedure amendments affect your specific position, contact us at info@ferrazwhitmore.com.
Disclaimer: This publication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information herein should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel tailored to your specific circumstances. Ferraz & Whitmore assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this material. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@ferrazwhitmore.com.