Economic Courts
Established to accelerate disputes over capital markets, competition, IP, non-bank finance, and insolvency. The natural destination for most modern commercial disputes.
Disputes & protection
A legal guide to Egyptian litigation and commercial arbitration — from early assessment to enforcement.
A practical reference for businesses and shareholders evaluating litigation or arbitration in Egypt: courts, deadlines, arbitration centres, and enforcement. Free public content.
Public content, periodically updated according to the laws in force in Egypt. Does not constitute legal advice tailored to your specific dispute.
Dispute at a glance
The numbers that govern the decision to initiate proceedings in Egypt.
- 05
- Principal court tiersEconomic · Civil · Administrative · Cassation · Constitutional.
- 15
- Days to file an administrative grievanceA mandatory window before filing before the Council of State.
- 60
- Days to file the administrative lawsuitFrom the interested parties' knowledge of the challenged decision.
- 15
- Years — statute of limitations on ordinary civil claimsThe general period unless law provides otherwise.
- 1988
- Year Egypt joined the New York ConventionEnforcement of foreign arbitral awards in 165 countries.
- CRCICA
- Leading regional arbitration centreCairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration — internationally recognised.
IEgyptian courts
Six routes to resolution — which suits your dispute?
Choosing the competent forum is not a procedural detail; it is a strategic decision that determines timeline, cost, and success probability. A concise comparison of the six main routes.
Civil and commercial courts
The traditional route for contractual, tort, and supply/service disputes outside the economic-court jurisdiction.
Administrative courts — Council of State
Administrative Court then the Supreme Administrative Court. Deadlines are strict — delay forfeits the right. A growing forum as the state's investment activity widens.
Court of Cassation
Does not re-examine facts — reviews application of law. Filing requires precise legal drafting and a cassation-admitted lawyer. Success returns the file to a new appellate circuit.
Supreme Constitutional Court
Cases are not filed directly. Instead, an unconstitutionality defence is raised during other proceedings, and the hearing court refers the file to the Constitutional Court.
Commercial arbitration
Based on Egyptian Arbitration Law 27/1994 and the New York Convention. Choose between CRCICA, ICC, UNCITRAL, or ad-hoc arbitration. The award is final and enforceable in 165 countries.
IICommercial arbitration
Four arbitration routes — from institutional to ad-hoc.
Cairo Regional Centre — CRCICA
An internationally recognised independent centre based in Zamalek. Rules modelled on UNCITRAL, working languages Arabic/English/French, and a wide arbitrator network. The default choice for regional disputes.
ICC International Court of Arbitration
Suited to disputes with an international dimension and parties from multiple continents. The Court supervises award quality, and its historic reputation strengthens enforcement.
UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
Self-administered arbitration rules usable without an administering institution, suited to large state-related projects. Flexibility in exchange for requiring professional case management.
Ad-hoc arbitration
Arbitration formed by the parties themselves without a centre. Requires detailed agreement on rules and arbitrators — but lower-cost for simpler, lower-value disputes.
IIIDispute-management stages
Six stages that take the file from first assessment to final judgment.
- I
Early case assessment
A rapid read of facts, documents, party positions, and procedural and substantive risks before any step — this assessment shapes the entire strategy.
- II
Negotiation and settlement
Most disputes admit a negotiated resolution — even after litigation begins. Negotiation runs in parallel with judicial preparation, not as a substitute for it.
- III
Protective measures
Precautionary attachment, performance orders, travel ban in applicable cases — protect your right before judgment. Filed by urgent request with strong documentation.
- IV
File preparation and filing
Precise statement of claim, ordered document bundles, expert requests where needed, and correct-circuit selection — good preparation settles long hearings.
- V
Expert and witness management
Expert technical reports often decide commercial disputes — attending experts, cross-questioning, and filing targeted requests shape the court's view.
- VI
Judgment and appeals
After judgment: either accept and enforce, or appeal to the appellate or cassation courts within the prescribed windows. Each route has distinct strategic and financial considerations.
IVEnforcement of judgments and awards
Four enforcement routes inside Egypt.
A judgment without enforcement is worthless. Enforcement in Egypt requires a precise grasp of attachment rules, service of process, and territorial jurisdiction.
Enforcing local judgments
Egyptian court judgments are enforced through bailiff offices and enforcement departments — attachment, auction, bankruptcy declaration. Needs a clear enforcement plan after judgment.
Enforcing local arbitral awards
Under Egyptian Arbitration Law 27/1994, the award is filed with the Court of Appeal for recognition and enforcement. Challenge is limited to specific grounds of nullity.
Enforcing foreign arbitral awards
The New York Convention guarantees enforcement of foreign awards in Egypt with narrow grounds for refusal. Competent forum: Cairo Court of Appeal or the governorate of enforcement.
Enforcing foreign judgments
Foreign judgments are subject to the Egyptian Code of Civil Procedure with a reciprocity requirement from the issuing country. Absent a reciprocity treaty, enforcement is more complex.
VCommon dispute types
Six categories covering 80%+ of matters in the Egyptian market.
Commercial contract disputes
The largest category — supply, services, distribution, agency contracts. Outcome depends on the original drafting and respect for formal notices.
Shareholder and partner disputes
Disagreements on management, dividend distribution, minority-shareholder exclusion, share transfers. Clear shareholder agreements prevent most of these.
Labour and salary disputes
Unjustified termination, end-of-service gratuity, delayed wages, dismissal. Heard before specialised labour courts with simplified procedure.
Tax disputes
Estimated tax assessments, VAT, customs disputes. Route: appeals committees → tax court → Supreme Administrative Court. Strict deadlines are decisive.
Challenging administrative decisions
Challenging government decisions: licensing, land-allocation revocation, university decisions, syndicate decisions. The Council of State is the competent forum.
Intellectual property disputes
Trademark infringement, patent violation, unauthorised use of protected works. Heard before economic courts under specialised procedures.
VITiming and costs
Realistic timing and cost signals before making a decision.
- 01
Judicial fees
Initial filing fee of 2.5% of claim value, with statutory cap - 02
Court-appointed expertise
Depending on expertise type — a specified retainer is paid upon appointment - 03
Time before economic courts
Typically 6–18 months at first instance - 04
Time before ordinary courts
Typically 1–3 years at first instance - 05
Time for institutional arbitration
Typically 12–24 months under CRCICA rules - 06
CRCICA administrative fees
Calculated as a percentage of dispute value per the published schedule
VIIFrequently asked questions
Questions clients actually ask before deciding to litigate.
What is the difference between the Economic Court and the Civil Court?
The Economic Court is specialised — it handles statutorily-defined disputes (securities, competition, IP, non-bank finance, insolvency) with faster procedures. The Civil Court has general jurisdiction over the rest. Mis-filing risks dismissal of the case.How long does a commercial dispute take before the Economic Courts?
First instance typically 6–18 months; appeal another 6–12 months. Compared to civil courts at 1–3 years just for first instance. Complete documentary preparation from the first hearing significantly shortens the timeline.When should I choose arbitration instead of the courts?
When a foreign party is involved (easier enforcement under New York Convention), when confidentiality matters, or when sector-expert arbitrators are needed. Requires a clear arbitration clause in the contract — cannot be imposed post-dispute without both parties' agreement.What are the grounds for setting aside an arbitral award?
Egyptian Arbitration Law specifies narrow grounds: invalidity of the arbitration agreement, ruling beyond the request, violation of public policy, arbitrator incompetence, or procedural defects. Disagreement with the merits is not a ground.Can I obtain a precautionary attachment before filing the suit?
Yes. The Egyptian Code of Civil Procedure allows pre-suit precautionary attachment if a fixed (or apparent) debt is shown and collateral risk is demonstrated. Filed with the Urgent-Matters Judge and executed immediately upon approval.What is the cassation-appeal window?
Sixty days from the date of the challenged judgment (with specific exceptions). The period is a strict bar — missing it forfeits the right entirely. Filing requires a lawyer admitted before the Court of Cassation and precise legal drafting.Can a Dubai arbitration award be enforced inside Egypt?
Yes. Both the UAE and Egypt are parties to the New York Convention; enforcement is filed with the Cairo Court of Appeal. Grounds for refusal are very narrow under the Convention.What happens on insolvency or financial distress of one party?
The Restructuring and Insolvency Law 11/2018 provides multiple tracks: restructuring, preventive settlement, or bankruptcy as the last resort. Individual enforcement stops in favour of an organised collective proceeding.
Have a dispute that needs assessment?
Send a short brief of facts, parties, and critical dates — and we issue an early-case assessment within one Egyptian business day.