Since 2001, ITN has offered news, analysis, and opinions on international investment law and its implications for sustainable development.
On April 24, 2020, USTR Robert Lighthizer announced that the USMCA would enter into force on July 1 of this year, one month later than was previously agreed upon.
A set of documents purporting to capture the discussions of the United States–United Kingdom Trade and Investment Working Group from 2018 has recently been released into the public domain.
The Mexican Senate approved the implementing legislation for the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) on June 19, 2019, by an overwhelming majority of 114 votes in favour, with less than a dozen against or abstaining.
MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC. V. GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, ICSID CASE NO. ARB(AF)/12/3
In their new book, Jonathan Bonnitcha, LaugePoulsen and Michael Waibel develop a coherent structure for policy analysis of investment treaties that should attract interest as governments review their treaty policies. It argues that investment treaties as currently applied often appear poorly tailored to address identifiable economic concerns.
The three parties to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) held the third, fourth and fifth rounds of renegotiation (Ottawa, September 23–27; Arlington, October 11–17; and Mexico City, November 17–21). The next round of NAFTA renegotiations is scheduled for January 23–28, 2018 in Montreal.
Does the prospect of foreign investor claims against countries in investor–state arbitration lead to regulatory chill? The authors asked officials whether ISDS contributed to changes in the internal vetting of government decisions on environmental protection.
Following U.S. President Trump’s initiative to renegotiate the NAFTA, the first round of negotiation took place in Washington, D.C. from August 16–20, 2017 and the second in Mexico City from September 1–5, 2017.
Trade ministers from 11 signatory countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership met on May 21, 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam, to discuss the future of the agreement during an APEC meeting.
Eli Lilly and Company v. The Government of Canada, UNCITRAL, ICSID Case No. UNCT/14/2
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 […]
ICSID tribunal dismisses claims brought against Indonesia based on forged mining licences Churchill Mining PLC and Planet Mining Pty Ltd v. Republic of Indonesia, ICSID Case No. ARB/12/14 and ICSID […]
Windstream Energy LLC v. Government of Canada, PCA Case No. 2013-22 An arbitral tribunal under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has reached the award stage. […]
States’ regulatory powers are the rule, and investors’ rights under international investment law are the exception. Or is it the other way around? Book review of Public Purpose in International Law.
The long-expected final award has been rendered in the high-profile case initiated by tobacco giant Philip Morris in early 2010 against Uruguay over its tobacco control measures.
An arbitration tribunal constituted under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has issued its award subject to a dissenting opinion.
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.
This book assesses the current state of environmental protection under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), outlining the scope and process of both agreements, their impact on specific environmental issues, and paths to reform.
William Ralph Clayton, William Richard Clayton, Douglas Clayton, Daniel Clayton and Bilcon of Delaware Inc. v. Government of Canada, UNCITRAL
Canada receives investor complaints over provincial energy and environment policies In recent months the government of Canada has received two complaints related to energy and environmental policies adopted by its […]
As governments increasingly turn to renewable energy to mitigate climate change, domestic climate-related policies in the form of price support measures such as feed-in tariffs (FiTs) have played an important […]
Australia to reject investor-state dispute resolution in TPPA The Australian government will not sign on to investor-state dispute resolution provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), according to an Australian […]
US court vacates award against Argentina BG Group Plc v. Argentina Lise Johnson A US appellate court has vacated an award against Argentina in a decision that may give investors […]
More legal woes for Canada’s Feed-in Tariff program for renewable energy Canada could soon be faced with arbitration for alleged breach of its obligations under the North American Free Trade […]
One of the more politically controversial aspects of international investment protection treaties is the liability of a State when political sub-divisions are found to have breached that State’s treaty obligations […]
Canada and Dow Chemical settle claim over pesticide ban A controversial NAFTA investment dispute between Dow AgroSciences and the government of Canada was settled this May. The settlement agreement involves […]
For nearly two decades, the tobacco industry has used international investment rules to challenge governmentrestrictions on cigarette marketing. In 1994, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company threatened to bring a claim under […]
With the seventh round of negotiations between Canada and the European Union over the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) completed this April, and the eighth round scheduled for […]
Working group moves slowly on agreement for transparency in UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules A working group of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) met from 7-11 February 2011 […]
Ignacio Torterola In October, State delegations are expected to discuss the issue of transparency in the UNCITRAL Rules of Arbitration. Ignacio Torterola, ICSID Liaison at the Argentine Embassy in Washington, […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt May 11, 2010 A Notice of Intent forwarded to Canada earlier this year by US owner and operator of the Ambassador Bridge contends that the Canadian government […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt March 11, 2010 (NOTE: two corrections have been made to this article. See explanations below.) A three-member tribunal, composed of Mr. Fali S. Nariman, Professor S. James Anaya, […]
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz March 11, 2010 Calgary-based mining firm Blackfire Exploration has reportedly threatened Mexican officials in Chiapas with NAFTA Chapter 11 arbitration in response to the closure of […]
By Eliabeth Whitsitt February 14, 2010 Canada has nominated Mr. Laurent Lévy to act as arbitrator in its Chapter 11 NAFTA dispute against US investor Vito G. Gallo. Canada’s original […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt December 6, 2009 Mr. J. Christopher Thomas Q.C. has resigned from his appointment as an arbitrator in a Chapter 11 NAFTA dispute initiated by US investor Vito […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt 2 October 2009 Mexico has suffered another loss in a series of investor-state arbitral disputes involving its sugar industry. While attempts have been made by Mexico to […]
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz 2 October 2009 Chemtura Corporation’s dispute with Canada over the phase-out of the agro-chemical Lindane headed to oral hearings in September after 8 years of legal […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt 2 September 2009 The United Mexican States has suffered yet another setback in its long and protracted dispute with the United States of America over the sugar […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt and Damon Vis-Dunbar 15 July 2009 A protracted dispute between the United States of America and Glamis Gold Ltd., a Canadian gold mining company, was settled in […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt 8 June 2009 Oral hearings were held in May over a claim by an American forestry and land management company against the Government of Canada for damages […]
Por Fernando Cabrera Diaz 28 de Abril, 2009 El grupo industrial de transportistas mexicanos, CANACAR, ha iniciado un arbitraje bajo el Capítulo 11 contra Estados Unidos, alegando que EUA violó […]
Por Howard Mann, Asesor Senior en Derecho Internacional del Instituto Internacional de Desarrollo Sostenible 2 de Mayo 2009 El 31 de marzo de 2009 Dow AgroSciences LLC, subsidiaria de la […]
By Howard Mann, Senior International Legal Advisor to the International Institute for Sustainable Development 2 May 2009 On 31 March 2009 Dow AgroSciences LLC, a subsidiary of the U.S. Dow […]
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz 28 April 2009 The Mexican trucking industry group CANACAR has initiated Chapter 11 arbitration against the United States, alleging that the U.S. has violated its NAFTA […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt 28 April 2009 In a recently published ICSID award, a tribunal found Mexico liable to an American company, Corn Products International Inc. (CPI) and its wholly-owned Mexican […]
Por Elizabeth Whitsitt 16 de Febrero 2009 Hace quince años entró en vigencia el Tratado de Libre Comercio de America del Norte (TLCAN) y se convirtió en el primer tratado […]
By Damon Vis-Dunbar 27 February 2009 The head of the Canadian Assembly of First Nations Peoples has voiced his support for a group of Canadian investors in a tobacco company […]
By Elizabeth Whitsitt 16 February 2009 Fifteen years ago the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) entered into force and became the first regional trade agreement between a developing country […]
By Fernando Cabrera and Damon Vis-Dunbar 29 January 2009 The Canadian tobacco manufacturer Grand River Enterprises Six Nations and the United State have filed memorials in a long-running NAFTA Chapter […]
By Damon Vis-Dunbar 15 January 2009 A Canadian pharmaceutical company delivered a notice of arbitration to the United States government in December 2008 under NAFTA’s Chapter 11 on investment. The […]
