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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.

Improving resolution of investor-state disputes the focus of new UN publication
UN News Centre | 24-Aug-2010
A new online publication by the United Nations trade arm explores alternative methods that governments and international investors may use to resolve increasingly frequent disputes that must currently be handled through lengthy international arbitration.
keywords: investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Romulo warns Aquino against hasty decision on NAIA 3 case
| 16-Aug-2010
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo advised President Aquino against deciding hastily on the case involving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3), warning the government could be at a disadvantage.
keywords: Germany , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Philippines
Philip Morris International claims against Uruguay without merit.
Marketwire | 12-Aug-2010
A legal analysis of the challenge launched by Philip Morris International found the company to be both unjustified and unreasonable in its opposition to Uruguay’s new tobacco packaging laws.
keywords: investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Switzerland , Uruguay
Maps of corporations to gain new rights to sue under Korea FTA
Eyes on Trade | 12-Aug-2010
Public Citizen now have exclusive Google maps of the locations of corporations that would gain new rights to challenge public interest laws under the US-Korea FTA.
keywords: actions | resistance , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Korea , US
Vivendi: Arbitrator Reaffirms Ruling, $105M Award Vs Argentina
| 11-Aug-2010
French media conglomerate Vivendi (VIV.FR) Tuesday said the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, or ICSID, reaffirmed its original ruling and financial award in favour of the company in a long-running dispute with Argentina.
keywords: Argentina , corporate interests , France , ICSID , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , water
World Bank approves mining company suit against El Salvador
| 11-Aug-2010
In a decision with implications for the national sovereignty of member states under US trade pacts, a World Bank tribunal has approved a Canadian mining company’s controversial lawsuit against the government of El Salvador.
keywords: CAFTA , Canada , corporate interests , El Salvador , environment , ICSID , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , mining , US
South Africa: Court rules against Italian investors
Business Day | 11-Aug-2010
An international arbitration tribunal in The Hague has dismissed an objection by Italian investors claiming that SA’s black economic empowerment requirements represented expropriation and violated the country’s bilateral investment treaties with Italy and the Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union.
keywords: investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Italy , South Africa
Los tratados internacionales, regionales, subregionales y bilaterales de libre comercio
CETIM | 6-Aug-2010
Existe una densa trama de convenios y tratados económicos y financieros -internacionales, regionales, subregionales y bilaterales- que han suplantado los instrumentos básicos del derecho internacional y regional de los derechos humanos.
keywords: human rights , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Latin America
Chevron urges arbitration in $27 bln Ecuador case
Reuters | 6-Aug-2010
Chevron Corp urged a US federal appeals court not to force it into Ecuador’s courts, but to allow it to go to international arbitration, to defend a $27.4 bn lawsuit alleging its oilfields polluted the Amazon rainforest and sickened thousands of Ecuadorians.
keywords: Ecuador , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Argentina scores second win in World Bank arbitration committee
Dow Jones | 3-Aug-2010
The International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, or Icsid, dismissed the claims lodged by Enron Creditors Recovery Corp and Ponderosa Assets L.P. late Friday.
keywords: Argentina , energy , ICSID , investor-state disputes | ISDS