The Investor-State Dispute Settlement System


Book Description

Investor-State disputes are increasing and damage awards are often significant. It is thus no surprise that the investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) system has come under scrutiny. Perceptions have arisen that ISDS is inconsistent, lacks transparency, and is simply unfair. This book delves into the ongoing worldwide debate and discussions regarding the ISDS system. Drawing contributors from around the world, the authors provide insights on critical topics and address the key question facing the ISDS system and the international community it serves: Should the present ISDS system be reformed, replaced, or simply remain as is? The contributors represent points of view ranging from academia to practice to governmental entities, addressing such topics as: the possible consequences of wholesale replacement or elimination of the current ISDS system; mediation as an alternative to resolve ISDS disputes; the creation of a multinational investment court or appellate review mechanism; lack of an early dismissal mechanism to eliminate meritless claims; issues regarding arbitrators, including their appointment and ethical obligations; how investors may retain their right to pursue claims for violations of investment protection following termination of an agreement; a State’s right to assert a counterclaim against an investor-claimant; the role of ISDS in promoting and protecting renewable energy production; the liability of State-controlled entities; the effects and implications of third-party funding; the duty to mitigate damages in the light of excessive damages awards; and improvements and issues relating to post-award enforcement, duration, and cost of ISDS. This book considers the ongoing deliberations and reform measures proposed by UNCITRAL’s Working Group III and provides insights into how several geographic regions and economic cooperation areas have sought to address the question of reform of the ISDS system, including the European Union, the Middle East, and the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. With its much-needed and deeply informed balancing of investor and State rights and duties, this book will be welcomed by all who practise in the ISDS field, including arbitrators, State governments and non-governmental organizations, regional economic organizations, and international investors.




Adjudicating Global Business in and with India


Book Description

This edited collection on international commercial and investment disputes in, and with, India examines past and present landmark legislative and regulatory reforms initiated by the Indian government, including the 2015 new Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) model, the 2015 amendments to the 1996 Arbitration Act and the 2013 amendments to Section 135 of the Companies Act on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as well as the most recent amendments to the same. The book also includes recent developments in the dispute resolution arena, regional, and international negotiations involving India, the legal profession’s response to these developments, and civil society’s comments. In addition, it addresses contemporary problems of key importance and at the centre of today’s discussions, from the legitimacy and relevance of Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) to the denunciation of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), and the role arbitration should play in emerging economies now leaders in world trade. In creating bridges between commercial and investment arbitration, it also renews the conceptual approach to these too often artificially isolated fields of law. The volume provides an accurate and updated account of the many fascinating conceptual and practical evolutions, which already impact the world of international dispute resolution far beyond the borders of India. This unique and exhaustive study will be of great appeal to a vast range of readers from practitioners to academia.




The Political Economy of the Investment Treaty Regime


Book Description

Investment treaties are some of the most controversial but least understood instruments of global economic governance. Public interest in international investment arbitration is growing and some developed and developing countries are beginning to revisit their investment treaty policies. The Political Economy of the Investment Treaty Regime synthesises and advances the growing literature on this subject by integrating legal, economic, and political perspectives. Based on an analysis of the substantive and procedural rights conferred by investment treaties, it asks four basic questions. What are the costs and benefits of investment treaties for investors, states, and other stakeholders? Why did developed and developing countries sign the treaties? Why should private arbitrators be allowed to review public regulations passed by states? And what is the relationship between the investment treaty regime and the broader regime complex that governs international investment? Through a concise, but comprehensive, analysis, this book fills in some of the many "blind spots" of academics from different disciplines, and is the first port of call for lawyers, investors, policy-makers, and stakeholders trying to make sense of these critical instruments governing investor-state relations.




India and Bilateral Investment Treaties


Book Description

As a consequence of being sued by more than 20 foreign investors, India terminated close to 60 investment treaties and adopted a new Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) purportedly to balance investment protection with the host State’s right to regulate. This book is a critical study of India’s approach towards BITs and traces their origin, evolution, and the current state of play. It does so by locating them in India’s economic policy in general and policy towards foreign investment in particular. India’s approach towards BITs and policy towards foreign investment were consistent with each other in the periods of economic nationalism (1947–1990) and economic liberalism (1991–2010). However, post 2010, India’s approach to BITs has become protectionist while India’s foreign investment policy continues to be liberal. To balance investment protection with the State’s right to regulate, India needs to evolve its BIT practice based on the twin framework of international rule of law and embedded liberalism.




Arbitration in India


Book Description

India has a long-standing tradition of dispute resolution through arbitration, with arbitral-type regulations going back to the eighteenth century. Today, amendments to the 1996 Indian Arbitration Act, a steady evolution of case law and new arbitral institutions position India’s vibrant system once more at the forefront of international commercial dispute resolution. In this handbook, over forty members of the international arbitration community in India and beyond offer authoritative perspectives and insights into topics on arbitration that matter in India. International arbitration practitioners, Indian practitioners, and scholars have combined efforts to produce a practical and informative guide on the subject. Among numerous notable features, the contributors provide detailed analysis and description of such aspects of arbitration as the following, with a focus on the Indian context: Indian application of the 1958 New York Convention; law governing the merits of the dispute and awards; investor-state dispute settlement; drafting arbitration clauses for India-centric agreements; managing costs and time; rise of virtual arbitration and technology; effect of public policy in light of extensive Indian jurisprudence; and arbitration of claims relating to environmental damage. Practical features include checklists for drafting arbitration clauses and a comparative chart of major commercial arbitration rules applicable to India. Also included is a comparative analysis of arbitral regimes in India, Singapore and England; chapters on the India Model Bilateral Investment Treaty and ISDS reforms; a special section on the enforcement of foreign awards; a section on the drafting of the award guided by leading arbitrators and stakeholders and a review of the new 2021 ICC Rules. For foreign counsel and arbitrators with arbitrations in India, this complete and up-to-date analysis provides guidelines for practitioners, corporate counsel, and judges on considerations to be borne in mind with respect to arbitration with an Indian nexus and whilst seeking enforcement and execution of an arbitral award in India. It will prove an effective tool for students and others in understanding and navigating the particularities and peculiarities of India’s system of domestic and international commercial arbitration.




Handbook of International Investment Law and Policy


Book Description

The Handbook of International Investment Law and Policy is a one-stop reference source. This Handbook covers the main conceptual questions in a logical, scholarly yet easy to comprehend manner. It is based on a truly global vision insisting particularly on Global South related issues and developments. In this respect, the Handbook of International Investment Law and Policy provides an excellent modern treatment of international investment law which is one of the fastest growing areas of international economic law. Professor Julien Chaisse, Professor Leïla Choukroune, and Professor Sufian Jusoh are the editors-in-chief of the Handbook of International Investment Law and Policy, a 1,500-page reference book, which is anticipated becoming one of the most influenced reference books in the international economic law areas. This Handbook is a highly comprehensive set of four volumes of original materials designed to cover all facets of international investment law and policy. The chapters, written by world-leading experts, explore key ideas and debates in relation to: international investment substantive law (Volume I), Investor-state dispute settlement (Volume II); interaction between international investment law and other fields of international law (Volume III); and, the new trends and challenges for international investment law (Volume IV). The Handbook will feature more than 80 contributions from leading experts (academics, lawyers, government officials), including Vivienne Bath, M. Sornarajah, Mélida Hodgson, Rahul Donde, Roberto Echandi, Andrew Mitchell, Ernst-Ulrich Petersmann, Christina L. Beharry, Krista Nadakavukaren Schefer, Leon Trakman, Prabhash Ranjan, Emmanuel Jacomy, Mariel Dimsey, Stavros Brekoulakis, Romesh Weeramantry, Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, David Collins, Damilola S. Olawuyi, Katia Fach Gomez, Jaemin Lee, Alejandro Carballo-Leyda, Patrick W. Pearsall, Mark Feldman, Surya Deva, Luke Nottage, Rafael Leal-Arcas, James Nedumpara, Rodrigo Polanco, etc. This Handbook will be an essential reference tool for students and scholars of international economic law. Policy makers and researchers alike will find the Handbook of International Investment Law and Policy useful for years to come.




New Frontiers in Asia-Pacific International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution


Book Description

International Arbitration Law Library Volume 59 The eastward shift in international dispute resolution has already involved initiatives not only to improve support for international commercial arbitration (ICA) and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) but also to develop alternatives such as international commercial courts and mediation. Focusing on these initiatives and their accompanying case law and trends in the Asia-Pacific region, this invaluable book challenges existing procedures and frameworks for cross-border dispute resolution in both commercial and treaty arbitration. Specially assembled for this project, an outstanding team of experienced and insightful arbitrators and scholars describes pertinent developments including: ICA and ISDS in the context of China’s Belt and Road Initiative; the Singapore Convention on Mediation; the shift to virtual hearings and other challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic; mistrust of the application of the rule of law in certain East Asian jurisdictions; growing public concern over ISDS arbitration; tensions between confidentiality and transparency; and potential regional harmonisation of the public policy exception to arbitral enforcement. The contributors chart evolving practices and high-profile cases to make informed observations about where changes are needed, as well as educated guesses about the chances of reforms being successful and the consequences if they are not. The main jurisdictions covered are China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, India, Australia and Singapore. The first in-depth study of recent trends in dispute resolution practice related to business in the Asia-Pacific region, the book’s practical analysis of new resources for dealing with the increasing competition among countries to become credible regional dispute resolution hubs will prove to be of great value to specialists in the international business law sector. Lawyers will be enabled to make informed decisions on which venue and dispute resolution methods are the most suitable for any specific dispute in the region, and policymakers will confidently assess emerging trends in international dispute resolution policy development and treaty-making.




International Investment Treaties and Arbitration Across Asia


Book Description

International Investment Treaties and Arbitration Across Asia brings together leading academics and practitioners to examine whether and how the Asian region has or may become a significant ‘rule maker’ in contemporary international investment law and dispute resolution. The editors introduce FDI trends and regulations, investment treaties and arbitration across Asia. Authors add country studies for the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as an overview of ASEAN treaties, or examine other potential ‘middle powers’ (Korea, Australia and New Zealand collectively) and the emerging ‘big players’ (China, Japan and India). Two early chapters present econometric studies of treaty impact on FDI flows, in aggregate as well as for Thailand, while two concluding chapters offer other normative and forward-looking perspectives.




Evolution in Investment Treaty Law and Arbitration


Book Description

International investment law is in a state of evolution. With the advent of investor-State arbitration in the latter part of the twentieth century - and its exponential growth over the last decade - new levels of complexity, uncertainty and substantive expansion are emerging. States continue to enter into investment treaties and the number of investor-State arbitration claims continues to rise. At the same time, the various participants in investment treaty arbitration are faced with increasingly difficult issues concerning the fundamental character of the investment treaty regime, the role of the actors in international investment law, the new significance of procedure in the settlement of disputes and the emergence of cross-cutting issues. Bringing together established scholars and practitioners, as well as members of a new generation of international investment lawyers, this volume examines these developments and provides a balanced assessment of the challenges being faced in the field.




Arbitration in Egypt


Book Description

Egypt, and in particular the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), has clearly cemented its status as a preferred seat for arbitration cases in both the Middle East–North Africa (MENA) region and the African continent. To assist parties with a need or desire to arbitrate disputes arising in these regions – whether commercial or investment – this incomparable book, the first in-depth treatment in any language of arbitration practice under Egyptian law, provides a comprehensive overview of the arbitration process and all matters pertaining to it in Egypt, starting with the arbitration agreement and ending with the recognition and enforcement of the arbitral award. Citing more than 2,500 cases – both awards and arbitral-related court judgments – the book’s various chapters examine in detail how Egypt’s arbitration law, based on the UNCITRAL model law, encompasses such internationally accepted arbitral provisions and aspects as the following: application of the New York Convention; concept of arbitrability; choice of applicable law; formation of the arbitral tribunal; selection, rights, duties, liability, and challenge of arbitrators; arbitral procedures; evidence and experts and burden of proof; form and content of arbitral awards; annulment and enforcement procedures; interaction between Sharia law and arbitration; role of Egypt’s Technical Office for Arbitration (TOA); and judicial fees. Special issues such as third-party funding and public policy as well as particular areas of dispute such as construction, sports, real estate, labor and employment, tax, competition, intellectual property, and technology transfer are all covered. The author offers practical guidelines tailored to arbitration in these specific areas of law. An added feature is the many figures and other visuals that accompany the text. For whoever is planning to or is currently practicing arbitration in the Middle East, this matchless book gives arbitrators, in-house counsel and arbitration practitioners everything that is needed to answer any question likely to arise. This book should be on the shelf of every practitioner and academic wishing to comprehend arbitration in Egypt as construed by the Egyptian Courts. Review/Testimonial: “The book is an excellent contribution to understand and assess Egyptian international arbitration law and practice and invaluable guide for lawyers, arbitrators and academics working on arbitration cases connected to Egypt for three main reasons: First, a case law perspective that adds considerable value to the book. The author examines not only the text of laws but also the case law. On every issue, Mr Shehata quotes the positions of Egyptian courts, especially those of the Egyptian Cassation Court. With more than 2,500 cases cited, the book is a precious source to discover the Egyptian decisions originally only in Arabic. Through an analysis and commentary of a great number of decisions rendered by various levels of Egyptian courts, the book offers the most reliable source with regard to the interpretation and the application of the Law No. 27 of 1994 and the international conventions by Egyptian courts. Second, a complete and far-reaching analysis. The book covers all aspects of the arbitration process from the arbitration agreement to the enforcement of arbitral awards. It includes the specific arbitration sectors such as sport arbitration, construction arbitration and investment arbitration. This coverage makes the book one of the reference work on the whole regime of arbitration in Egypt. Third, an up-to-date study, which takes into account rule changes and up-to-date developments on new trends, such as third-party funding, optional clauses, virtual hearings, the use of tribunal secretaries and issues of ethics in arbitration.” Source / Reviewer: Professor Walid Ben Hamida, University of Paris-Saclay, France. ICC DISPUTE RESOLUTION BULLETIN 2021 | ISSUE 3 |