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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.

Etude sur le protocol additionnel au CETA : la transition énergétique reste menacée
Saskia Bricmont | 25-Jan-2023
La déclaration en voulant clarifier les choses crée de nouvelles zones de flou et, en définitive, tout dépend de la conception que les arbitres devant régler un différend précis se font du lien entre la transition et la protection des investissements.
keywords: Canada , climate , EU , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , ISDS reform
Why a coordinated withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty is inevitable
Euractiv | 25-Jan-2023
Since October 2022, seven EU member states have announced plans to withdraw from the European Charter Treaty. Across the board, the message is clear: the insufficient and potentially climate-damaging treaty reform effort is no longer a politically viable option.
keywords: climate , ECT , energy , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS
EU amaga con ir a panel ante el T-MEC por caso del maíz transgénico
El Economista | 24-Jan-2023
La USTR dijo que funcionarios estadounidenses continúan trabajando con sus homólogos mexicanos para abordar las “graves preocupaciones” con las políticas de biotecnología de México.
keywords: GMOs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Mexico , NAFTA | USMCA , US
Bite Latvia shareholder appeals to govt over 5G action by regulator SPRK
Telecompaper | 24-Jan-2023
The US-based company Providence Equity Partners claims that certain actions by national public service regulator SPRK indicate a possible violation of the bilateral investment agreement between the US and Latvian governments.
keywords: investor-state disputes | ISDS , Latvia , telecommunications , US
Polluter doesn’t pay: The Rockhopper v Italy award
EJIL: Talk! | 23-Jan-2023
The way in which the reasoning of the Rockhopper award expels any environmental considerations has the effect of making climate change interventions considerably more costly
keywords: climate , ECT , energy , environment , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Italy
Greta Thunberg’s arrest shows why we must abolish the Energy Charter Treaty
Open Democracy | 23-Jan-2023
The treaty allows fossil fuel companies to sue governments for taking climate change action. It must go.
keywords: climate , ECT , energy , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS
How Chinese companies are challenging national security decisions that could delay 5G network rollout
The Conversation | 23-Jan-2023
A relatively new strategy for China is to challenge national security decisions before international tribunals using a method called investor-state dispute settlement.
keywords: China , geopolitics , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , militarism | terrorism | security , Sweden , telecommunications , UK
Telefónica pierde un multimillonario litigio fiscal en Perú
El Diario.es | 20-Jan-2023
La filial de la compañía española había realizado provisiones para cubrir este caso, que se remonta a hace dos décadas, que rondaban los 790 millones de euros
keywords: investor-state disputes | ISDS , Peru , Spain
US government seeks to dismiss Keystone XL pipeline case, while taxpayers have already spent $250,000 to NAFTA arbitration tribunal
Public Citizen | 20-Jan-2023
The State Department requested the $15 billion case be thrown out on jurisdictional grounds, as President Joe Biden revoked the permit for the pipeline on his first day in office, long after the US-Mexico Canada Agreement was in effect.
keywords: climate , energy , from the movements , investor-state disputes | ISDS , NAFTA | USMCA , US
CAB urges energy ministry for not signing Energy Charter Treaty
The Daily Star | 20-Jan-2023
The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) submitted a petition, signed by 25,720 persons, urging the energy ministry for not signing the Energy Charter Treaty as the signing of the treaty will affect the public interest and the nation’s energy sector.
keywords: Bangladesh , ECT , energy , investor-state disputes | ISDS