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.

Stock Market Wire | 13-Jun-2016
Global Telecom Holding has announced that it submitted a formal request for arbitration over actions taken by the Canadian Government against GTH and its subsidiaries in relation to GTH’s investment in Wind Mobile.
NZ Herald | 13-Jun-2016
Secretive negotiations for the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP began in November 2012. The 13th round is being held at SkyCity in Auckland.
RT | 10-Jun-2016
El Tribunal Supremo de EE.UU. ha rechazado este lunes la recusación por parte de Ecuador de la decisión de una corte inferior que en agosto de 2015 imponía el pago de una indemnización de 96 millones de dólares a la petrolera estadounidense Chevron.
Central América | 9-Jun-2016
El Centro de Arreglo de Diferencias Relativas a Inversiones falló contra el empresario Julio Lisac, demandante por el cese de la concesión de un proyecto hidroeléctrico.
SSRN | 9-Jun-2016
Friendship, Commerce and Navigation (FCN) treaties are more than a historical precursor to international investment agreements (IIA) and continue to influence and inspire modern investment treaty design.
MEDEL | 9-Jun-2016
MEDEL’s opinion on the construction of a international investment court for TTIP – proposal of the European Commission.
Diario Co Latino | 9-Jun-2016
La enmienda del ya existente Tratado de Libre Comercio entre la Unión Europea (UE) y México establecerá controvertidos que forman parte de su similar transatlántico TTIP, reportó hoy la prensa alemana.
Ghana Web | 9-Jun-2016
AngloGold Ashanti’s decision to sue government at the ICSID over security concerns at its Obuasi concession has been described as “surprising” by private legal practitioner and former Attorney General, Ayikoi Otoo.
TTIP Free Zones Europe | 9-Jun-2016
Aristoteli joined a growing movement of local authorities opposed to CETA and TTIP to deny the building of a polluter’s paradise
The Guardian | 8-Jun-2016
Provision allows firms to sue in international tribunal if laws introduced or changed that hurt their interests.