Friends of the Earth Europe | 17 September 2025
10 stories (more) of how the rich and powerful hijacked justice
Did you know that foreign investors had access to VIP courts across Europe (and beyond) to make sure they keep their profits intact?
More commonly known as the Investor-State Dispute Settlement #ISDS, this system allows foreign investors to bypass national courts and sue governments in private, corporate tribunals when public policies affect their profits. These cases can cost countries (or rather, taxpayers) billions — even when decisions were taken democratically to protect people, the environment, or national security.
Together with PowerShift e.V. SOMO Transnational Institute, TROCA Plataforma and the European Trade Justice Coalition, we have published 10 recent #ISDS cases showing how:
📛 sanctions against aggressive regimes are violated
⚖️ tax and public interest measures are put at risk
🌍 climate and environmental laws are being challenged
ISDS clauses exist in most of the +1,000 bilateral investment treaties still in force between EU states and non-EU countries. It’s time to put an end to this profit over democracy tool, which threatens our ability to respond to today’s biggest challenges.
