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.

La Jornada | 31-Mar-2025
Mientras el mundo enfrenta las pataletas de Trump en torno a aranceles comerciales, es obligado también poner atención al continuo golpeteo a las soberanías nacionales por empresas trasnacionales cobijadas bajo acuerdos internacionales de inversión, ya sean tratados de libre comercio (TLC) o tratados bilaterales de inversión (TBI).
TNI | 28-Mar-2025
The landscape of financial profiteering from investor-state dispute settlement claims.
Xinhua | 28-Mar-2025
The lower house of Kazakhstan’s parliament has approved the law on ratifying the agreement between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on encouragement and mutual protection of investments.
Azernews | 26-Mar-2025
British oil and gas company Victoria Oil & Gas has filed a lawsuit against Kazakhstan, citing provisions under the Energy Charter Treaty.
TNI | 26-Mar-2025
Despite criticism of the free trade agreement with the United States, Colombian President Gustavo Petro opted to reassess a series of clauses on investments and arbitration, instead of requesting a complete renegotiation.
Foreign Policy in Focus | 25-Mar-2025
Extraordinary corporate privileges in US foreign and trade policy are designed to help companies win even when their investments fail.
Reuters | 25-Mar-2025
The European Commission handed Spain a victory when it instructed the country not to pay any compensation in a case related to claims amounting to billions of euros on renewable energy subsidies cut more than a decade ago.
Financial Post | 24-Mar-2025
Almadex has filed its memorial submission relating to its international arbitration proceedings under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership with Mexico, seeking damages of US$1.06 billion.
Yonhap | 24-Mar-2025
South Korea has lost a lawsuit seeking to annul an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) ruling that ordered it to pay compensation to US hedge fund Mason Capital over losses from Samsung’s controversial 2015 merger of two units.
Le Desk | 24-Mar-2025
La nouvelle plainte visant le Maroc devant le CIRDI, initiée par le Français Pizzorno, spécialiste de la gestion des déchets, vient à la suite de plusieurs années de pressions politiques de Paris sur Rabat soldées par un fiasco.