The GCC 2025 is the first major overhaul of the General Conditions of Contract for Construction in ten years, introducing clearer terminology, modernised processes, and a stronger emphasis on collaboration. The updates aim to reduce ambiguity, support proactive project management, and align the contract with contemporary industry standards. 

The new edition clarifies key definitions, tightens rules around written communication, and requires employers to designate a qualified natural person when appointing an Employer’s Agent. It also introduces a “spirit of mutual co-operation,” early warning systems, and strengthened joint decision-making mechanisms that encourage openness and early issue-resolution (pages 2–3). 

Significant adjustments to programme management place greater responsibility on contractors to update programmes monthly and when project sequences shift. Contractors now have clearer rights to claim for delays, particularly where variation orders or access instructions impact timelines (page 3). 

Other key changes include revised payment and suspension timelines, stricter rules requiring written variation orders, updated retention limits, expanded termination grounds, and a more structured process for extension-of-time and cost claims (pages 4–5). 

Overall, the GCC 2025 encourages transparent, good-faith contracting and seeks to minimise disputes by clarifying processes, tightening timelines, and promoting cooperative project delivery. Contractors and employers are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with these shifts before adopting the new edition.

Read the details here: From compliance to cooperation: What the GCC 2025 means for contractors and employers - Cox Yeats