publish

  • Home
  • investor-state disputes | ISDS
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.

CAFTA’s debt trap
| 20-Jul-2005
Criticism of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) currently being considered by the U.S. Congress has focused heavily on concerns that the treaty would devastate Central American farmers who would be forced to compete with heavily subsidized U.S. agribusiness.
keywords: CAFTA , debt , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Suez strikes back in Bolivia
Znet | 16-Jul-2005
Bolivia faces an impending lawsuit for cancelling the water contract with Aguas del Illimani, the private consortium controlled by majority shareholder Suez. Thanks to a bilateral investment treaty signed between France and Bolivia, Suez has the right to sue the Bolivian government for breach of contract.
keywords: Bolivia , ICSID , investor-state disputes | ISDS , water
Govt, Bechtel ink Dabhol deal
Indian Express | 15-Jul-2005
The Indian government and Bechtel have reached an agreement on ‘‘all issues’’ related to the Dabhol project. The settlement agreement between the two was signed on Tuesday thereby completing the entire settlement process with both stakeholders - GE and Bechtel - in the Dabhol power venture.
keywords: India , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Dabhol deal on track, Bechtel says it’s willing to settle
Newind Press | 8-Jul-2005
The Dabhol settlement process is almost complete with US-based Bechtel Corp finally informing the Indian side that it’s willing to settle and not proceed with international arbitration.
keywords: India , investor-state disputes | ISDS , US
Land grab to go to arbitration
The Zimbabwean | 16-May-2005
About 1 500 commercial farmers who have had their land forcibly and sometimes violently seized by Robert Mugabe’s government have taken their case to international arbitration.
keywords: ICSID , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Netherlands , Zimbabwe
Argentina to seek annulment of ICSID ruling in favour of CMS Energy
Forbes | 13-May-2005
The Argentine government said it will try to annul a ruling by the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in favour of US company CMS Energy Corp.
keywords: Argentina , ICSID , investor-state disputes | ISDS , NAFTA | USMCA
Steps needed to avoid legal disputes with US
Bangkok Post | 6-May-2005
The Thai government must become more efficient and enact more ironclad laws in order to avoid unnecessary legal disputes with US investors once the Thailand-US free trade area (FTA) agreement takes effect, says a local researcher.
keywords: investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Thailand , US
Spectre of lawsuit losses hangs over Bucharest
Financial Times | 19-Apr-2005
Romania’s past treatment of foreign investors may soon come back to haunt its new government and an economic plan agreed with Brussels ahead of membership of the European Union. A World Bank arbitration panel, the Icsid, is expected to rule in coming weeks on a lawsuit seeking $350m (€270m, £180m) from the state brought by Noble Ventures, an American investment group.
keywords: ICSID , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Romania
Scotiabank files $600M US claim against Argentina
| 7-Apr-2005
Scotiabank has filed a $600 million US compensation claim against Argentina, claiming that "discriminatory" actions taken by Argentine authorities led to the total loss of its investment in its Scotiabank Quilmes subsidiary in 2002.
keywords: Argentina , Canada , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Geopolitiek en de mondiale rooftocht der ondernemingen
Global Info | 29-Mar-2005
We zullen hieronder onderzoeken hoe bilaterale investeringsverdragen (BITs) en vrijhandelsovereenkomsten (FTAs) die specifieke investeringsbepalingen bevatten zowel geopolitieke als economische belangen reflecteren. We zullen ook zien hoe deze overeenkomsten helpen om de rechten en privileges van transnationale ondernemingen opnieuw te formuleren, waaronder commerciële controle over biodiversiteit door intellectuele eigendomsrechten IPR (Intelectuel Property Rights).
keywords: biodiversity | biopiracy , GMOs , intellectual property , investor-state disputes | ISDS