investor-state disputes | ISDS

Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) refers to a way of handling conflicts under international investment agreements whereby companies from one party are allowed to sue the government of another party. This means they can file a complaint and seek compensation for damages. Many BITs and investment chapters of FTAs allow for this if the investor’s expectation of a profit has been negatively affected by some action that the host government took, such as changing a policy. The dispute is normally handled not in a public court but through a private abritration panel. The usual venues where these proceedings take place are the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (World Bank), the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law or the International Court of Justice.

ISDS is a hot topic right now because it is being challenged very strongly by concerned citizens in the context of the EU-US TTIP negotiations, the TransPacific Partnership talks and the CETA deal between Canada and the EU.

IISD | 27-Sep-2017
La perspective de demandes formulées par des investisseurs étrangers à l’encontre des États dans le cadre du règlement des différends­ investisseur-État (RDIE) conduit-elle à un gel réglementaire ?
IISD | 27-Sep-2017
Does the prospect of foreign investor claims against countries in investor­–state dispute settlement (ISDS) lead to regulatory chill?
Dalloz | 27-Sep-2017
L’avocat général, M. Wathelet, prend position sur la clause d’arbitrage du traité bilatéral conclu entre les Pays-Bas et la Slovaquie et estime que celle-ci est compatible avec le principe de non-discrimination, avec le mécanisme de renvoi préjudiciel et avec le principe d’autonomie du système juridique de l’Union européenne.
Corporate Europe Observatory | 25-Sep-2017
Brexit could become a money-making machine for law firms that make millions when corporations sue nation states via trade and investment agreements.
The Express Tribune | 23-Sep-2017
The arbitral tribunal of the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has rendered an arbitral award of $700 million against Pakistan.
IISD | 22-Sep-2017
Swedish investor EcoDevelopment registered a claim at the ICSID against the Tanzanian government for revoking a land title amid concerns over the impact on local communities and a wildlife sanctuary.
Kaos en la Red | 22-Sep-2017
Este jueves entró en vigor el Acuerdo Económico y Comercial Global (CETA), que supone la apertura de puertas a un nuevo modelo político en el que las corporaciones alcanzan cotas de poder que pueden llegar a anular a los Estados.
The Express Tribune | 22-Sep-2017
The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has not only imposed a hefty fine on Pakistan but also declared that the country will be paying $5.6 million as interest per month.
La Vanguardia | 21-Sep-2017
El CETA ya se aplica este jueves de forma provisional, a la espera de que todos los países del bloque ratifiquen las disposiciones que afectan a las competencias nacionales, como la más polémica, que prevé la creación de un tribunal de inversiones.
Daily Pakistan | 21-Sep-2017
Financially-strapped Pakistan has been imposed with a staggering $700 million in a damages suit by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) regarding rental power plants case.