Since 2001, ITN has offered news, analysis, and opinions on international investment law and its implications for sustainable development.
On January 23, 2017, fulfilling a campaign pledge, U.S. President Donald Trump formally withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), signed in February 2016. The Trump administration indicated that it would […]
On December 13 and 14, 2016, the European Commission and the Canadian Government co-hosted exploratory discussions on establishing a multilateral investment court. Government representatives from several countries attended the closed-door meeting in […]
On December 5, 2016, the Belgian region of Wallonia published the Namur Declaration, proposing to change EU trade policy and negotiations. The document was initially signed by 40 academics from several […]
In September, EU officials recognized that the negotiations on the EU–U.S. Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) were unlikely to be concluded before the end of U.S. President Barack Obama’s mandate.
During the 10th Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from November 7 to 10, representatives from Brazil and India announced that they had recently initialled a bilateral investment agreement (BIT).
On October 30, during the 16th European Union–Canada Summit held in Brussels, the two negotiating partners signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), after seven years of negotiations.
Brexit and contentious topics complicate TTIP negotiations; public opposition continues
EU negotiation agenda to continue despite Brexit; MERCOSUR and Indonesia at sight
United Kingdom makes trade and investment negotiation moves for post-Brexit era
CETA to be concluded as a mixed agreement; commission hopes for signing in october
RCEP partners conclude 13th negotiating round in auckland; three further rounds in 2016
India takes steps to reform its investment policy framework after approving new model BIT
The 14th round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations was held in Brussels from July 11 to 15, 2016.
Despite the uncertainties in TTIP negotiations, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said they would survive Brexit, and is pushing to conclude negotiations before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in early 2017.
On July 8, 2016, Sajid Javid, former Business Secretary for the United Kingdom, launched preliminary talks with India on a future trade relationship between the two countries as soon as Britain formally leaves the European Union.
On July 5, 2016, the European Commission proposed to the Council that the Canada–European Union CETA—agreed to in 2014 and re-concluded in February 2016—be signed as a “mixed agreement,” requiring signature and ratification by each of the EU member states.
The 13th round of negotiations for a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was held in Auckland, New Zealand, from June 12 to 18, 2016. The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable […]
India has started to send official notices to terminate bilateral investment treaties (BITs) to 57 partner countries with which it has BITs that have already expired or will expire in the near […]
In a judgment dated April 20, 2016, the District Court of The Hague, in the Netherlands, set aside awards that had ordered Russia to pay US$50 billion to the shareholders of Yukos, a bankrupt oil company.
Officials from the European Union and the United States gathered in Brussels for the 12th round of negotiations over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) from February 22 to 26.
Since 2008, China and the United States have undergone 24 negotiation rounds for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT).
On February 19, 2016, Cosigo Resources (Canada) and Tobie Mining and Energy (United States) submitted an arbitration request against Colombia under the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) concluded by Colombia with the United States and Canada.
Responding to EU requests, Canadian and EU officials reopened negotiations of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) concluded in 2014 to reformulate the agreement’s investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) clause. Re-concluded […]
On March 24, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) registered (Case No. ARB/16/9) a request for arbitration filed by U.S. telecom company Italba against Uruguay.
On February 1, 2016, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) released draft rules tailored to investment arbitration (Draft SIAC Rules), to be finalized in May following public consultation.
On February 4, 2016, trade ministers from twelve Pacific Rim nations met in Auckland, New Zealand, to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
On January 19, 2016, experts from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) met in Montevideo, Uruguay, to finalize agreements regarding the proposed regional centre for the settlement of investment disputes.
EU officials are said to have requested the new Canadian federal government to revisit the ISDS clause in the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), according to reports by CBC News on January 21, 2016.
In a statement issued in early February 2016, the German Association of Judges (known by its German acronym, DRB) firmly rejected the proposal published by the European Commission on September 16, 2015 to establish an Investment Court System (ICS) under the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union and the United States.
On December 2, 2015, the European Union and Vietnam signed a free trade agreement (FTA), closing three years of negotiations.
Three reports by CAITISA, Ecuador’s citizen audit commission on bilateral investment treaties (BITs), were leaked by online newspaper Diagonal on January 24, 2016.
All 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEP) will have comprehensive access to all confidential documents relating to TTIP negotiations.
On December 17, 2015, a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued its jurisdictional award in the case of tobacco giant Philip Morris against Australia over the country’s tobacco plain packaging legislation.
On January 6, 2016, TransCanada initiated arbitration against the United States for “unreasonably delaying approval” of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and ultimately denying, in November 2015, the company’s application for the required Presidential Permit.
UN Independent Expert Alfred de Zayas recommends abolishing current ISDS regime
Investment Court System proposed by European Commission
Deal reached on Trans-Pacific Partnership
EU–U.S. negotiations: ISDS on hold and controversy on a leaked EU proposal for the sustainable development chapter; secrecy in TTIP negotiations still a concern
In a report circulated on August 5, 2015, UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, recommended that states abolish the existing investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) system.
On September 16, 2015, the European Commission published its proposal on Investment Protection and Resolution of Investment Disputes and Investment Court System.
On October 5, 2015, trade ministers reached agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
From October 19 to 23, 2015, EU and U.S. officials conducted the 11th round of TTIP negotiations in Miami, United States.
Binding instrument on business and human rights: Working Group holds its first session
European Parliament supports TTIP, but rejects current ISDS model
Bolivia promulgates Conciliation and Arbitration Law with regime for investor–state disputes
European Commission requests Member States to terminate intra-EU BITs
China signs FTAs with South Korea and Australia, conducts new round of BIT negotiation with United States
From July 6 to 10, 2015, a UN working group convened its first meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss a legal instrument on human rights and transnational corporations.
On July 8, 2015, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution guiding the European Commission on the negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States.
On June 25, 2015, Bolivian President Evo Morales promulgated Law No. 708 on Conciliation and Arbitration, creating a Special Arbitration Regime for resolving investor-state disputes.
On June 18, 2015, the European Commission initiated infringement proceedings against Austria, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden, formally requesting them to terminate their bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with other EU Member States.
On June 1, 2015, China and South Korea signed a free trade agreement (FTA), after three years of negotiations. Later, on June 17, China entered into another landmark FTA with Australia, concluding decade-long negotiations.
At a March 18, 2015 meeting at the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström presented four “preliminary ideas” to address public concerns about investment in the […]
A January 20, 2015 negotiating draft of the Investment Chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) was leaked on March 25, 2015. The TPP has been under negotiation for five […]
The Indian government published a draft of its model bilateral investment treaty (BIT) for public comment on March 24, 2015. By April 11, the deadline for submission, 185 comments were […]
The United Nations (UN) Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor–State Arbitration was opened for signature in an official ceremony on March 17, 2015 in Mauritius. Now also known as the […]
