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.

The Guardian | 11-Nov-2015
Leading arbitration lawyer says there are critical loopholes in the Trans-Pacific Partnership’s investment chapter that leave Australia wide open
OMAL | 10-Nov-2015
El objetivo de este informe es servir de advertencia a los europeos que se preocupan por la salud de sus ciudadanos, la resiliencia de sus comunidades, el destino de sus servicios públicos y la protección de sus recursos naturales.
Hidrocarburos Bolivia | 9-Nov-2015
Los litigios en cortes internacionales que se mantienen activos en contra del Estado ecuatoriano suman demandas que superarían los $ 5.300 millones.
Servindi | 9-Nov-2015
La democracia burguesa en la época neoliberal se transforma cada día más en abierta dictadura de las grandes empresas transnacionales, por encima de los estados y de los gobiernos.
Times of India | 7-Nov-2015
Two UAE firms are claiming Rs 5 lakh crore ($85billion) as compensation, perhaps the highest arbitration demand in India’s history.
Public Citizen | 6-Nov-2015
Long-awaited text reveals gaps between Administration claims and actual TPP terms on key public concerns
Global Search | 5-Nov-2015
Hace una semana, el pasado 27 de octubre, se aprobó en primer debate por parte de la Asamblea Legislativa de Costa Rica el “Acuerdo Bilateral para la Promoción y Protección de Inversiones” entre Costa Rica y China
AFTINET | 5-Nov-2015
Preliminary analysis of the thousands of pages of the main chapters of the TPP text show there are still devils in the detail on medicine monopolies, investor rights to sue governments and copyright monopolies.
KEI | 5-Nov-2015
Despite assurances from the contrary by Australia and USTR, intellectual property is a covered asset subject to Investor State Dispute Settlement
Todd N. Tucker | 4-Nov-2015
Ecuador has been partially relieved of its debt to Occidental, which constitutes a pretty legalistic and conservative application of property rights by a state appointee dissenter.