ICC Global Digital Trade Sandbox

From ambition to execution: join the ICC Global Digital Trade Sandbox

Digitalisation is transforming international trade, but adoption remains uneven. While international standards, technologies and policy frameworks are advancing rapidly, many companies still struggle to move from awareness to practical implementation. Fragmentation, interoperability challenges and legal uncertainty continue to slow progress.

To address this gap, ICC has launched the Global Digital Trade Sandbox, a flagship initiative starting in early 2026 that shifts the focus from advocacy to execution.

This challenge is particularly visible in the Dutch context. Despite broad political and business support for digital trade, regulatory reform to fully enable the use of electronic trade documents, such as electronic bills of lading, has been repeatedly delayed. As a result, Dutch companies risk falling behind peers in jurisdictions that have already modernised their legal frameworks.

Bridging the gap between policy and practice

The Global Digital Trade Sandbox responds to a growing gap between what is technically possible and what is legally and operationally enabled. It provides companies with a structured, vendor-neutral environment to test digital trade processes in real-world conditions, without commercial or regulatory risk.

Importantly, the Sandbox does not replace legal reform. Rather, it complements it by generating evidence from practice: what works, what does not, where interoperability breaks down, and which regulatory barriers have the greatest impact on business.

For countries like the Netherlands, where legal reform is pending, this evidence is particularly valuable.

What is the Digital Trade Sandbox?

The Digital Trade Sandbox is not a technical platform and does not promote specific technologies. Instead, it is an ICC-led orchestration environment that brings together companies, banks, logistics providers and technology vendors to test digital trade workflows using existing systems and international standards, including ICC’s Key Trade Data & Documents Elements (KTDDE).

Through guided pilots and proofs of concept, participants explore processes such as e-invoicing, electronic transport documents and digital trade documentation. The objective is to demonstrate interoperability, identify operational bottlenecks and support scalable adoption across borders.

Why this matters for Dutch companies

For Dutch companies engaged in international trade, the Sandbox offers a pragmatic way forward, even while regulatory reform is ongoing:

• Prepare ahead of regulation by testing digital trade processes before legal change is finalised

• Reduce uncertainty by identifying legal, operational and contractual barriers early

• Stay competitive internationally as other jurisdictions move faster on digital trade

• Contribute to reform by providing concrete business evidence to policymakers

Participation allows companies to move from waiting to learning, and from learning to readiness.

A global initiative with local anchoring

The Sandbox operates through ICC’s global network, with National Committees acting as local convenors. ICC Netherlands supports Dutch companies in exploring participation, connecting them to global pilots and ensuring that Dutch business insights feed into international discussions.

This local anchoring is essential. Without practical input from companies, regulatory reform risks remaining abstract, or misaligned with real trade flows.

How to get involved

Companies interested in participating can:

• Review the available Sandbox materials (hereunder)

• Join one of the information sessions on 10 February

  • 7AM CET / 2PM SGT / 1AM NYT register here 

  • 2PM CET / 9PM SGT / 8AM NYT register here 

• Contact ICC Netherlands to discuss suitability and next steps

Participation in the Sandbox is free of charge for eligible ICC members.

Moving forward, despite uncertainty

Digital trade is no longer a future ambition. It is a strategic necessity, especially in a volatile geopolitical environment where efficiency, resilience and trust matter more than ever. While regulatory reform remains essential, waiting for it to be completed is not a strategy.

The ICC Global Digital Trade Sandbox offers Dutch companies the opportunity to prepare, test and shape the future of digital trade: together, pragmatically and at global scale.

Interested in joining or learning more?

Please reach out to ICC Netherlands for further information - info@icc.nl