CIADI
Inching Towards Consensus: An Update on the UNCITRAL Transparency Negotiations
From October 1-5, 2012, a working group of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law met in Vienna to continue work on how to ensure transparency in treaty-based investor-state arbitration. It was the working group’s fifth week-long meeting on the topic, but will not be the last.
Consent to Arbitration Through National Investment Legislation
National investment codes[1] may function as potential sources of international investment law. In other words, states may make unilateral undertakings within the framework of national investment legislations and, as a […]
Venezuela’s Withdrawal From ICSID: What it Does and Does Not Achieve
In January 2012, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounced the ICSID Convention,[1] becoming the third country – after Bolivia and Ecuador – to do so. The exit from the global […]
Defining an ICSID Investment: Why Economic Development Should be the Core Element
A dispute will only fall within the jurisdiction of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) if it directly arises out of an ‘investment’, as is provided by Article 25(1) of the Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention). However, not only does the ICSID Convention fail to provide any definition of what constitutes an ‘investment’, the drafters of the ICSID Convention, in fact, made an express decision not to include such a definition. This absence has given rise to interesting issues of interpretation as ICSID tribunals have sought to arrive at an understanding of how the term ‘investment’ should be properly understood for the purposes of the ICSID Convention.
Awards and Decisions
Swiss claimant fails jurisdictional stage for not qualifying as an ‘investor’ Alps Finance and Trade AG v. Slovak Republic Damon Vis-Dunbar A claim against the government of Slovakia has failed […]
Procedural requirements for arbitrator challenges: Finding fault with CEMEX v. Venezuela
One fundamental principle of investor-State arbitration is the ability of parties to have their disputes resolved by independent and impartial arbitrators. In order to ensure adherence to this principle, laws and rules governing investor-State arbitrations grant parties the right to challenge arbitrators lacking these qualifications. Given the importance of ensuring arbitrator independence and impartiality, and as evidenced by the recent decision in and subsequent commentary on Vivendi v. Argentina, practitioners and stakeholders in investor-State arbitrations are devoting significant efforts to defining the substantive standards warranting arbitrator challenges, and to understanding what those standards require in practice.
The transparency requirement in the new UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules: A premonitory view
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, […]
Philip Morris initiates arbitration against Uruguay over new labeling requirements, taxes
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz May 11, 2010 Tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI) has initiated an ICSID arbitration against Uruguay over new rules requiring that 80% of cigarette pack surfaces […]
American gas services firm Exterran files for arbitration against Venezuela over nationalized assets
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz May 11, 2010 (NOTE: A correction has been made to this article. An explanation is posted below) Houston-based Exterran Holdings has taken Venezuela to ICSID over […]
Ad hoc committee confirms that Kazakhstan is on the hook for US$ 125 million
By Elizabeth Whitsitt April 8, 2010 An ad hoc committee, established pursuant to the ICSID Arbitration Rules, has rejected the annulment application of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The former Soviet […]
RSM Production Corp. files second arbitration against Grenada, sues Freshfields
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz April 8, 2010 On March 16, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) registered a second arbitration initiated by Denver-based RSM Production Corp against […]
Cemex v. Venezuela: Provisional Measures allowed in circumstances of necessity and urgency
By Elizabeth Whitsitt April 8, 2010 An ICSID tribunal has refused a request for provisional measures by the world’s third largest cement-producer. In its decision dated March 3, 2010, the […]
Tribunals have been constituted in ICSID cases involving Egypt, Cambodia and Argentina
By Elizabeth Whitsitt March 11, 2010 In the past two months, arbitral tribunals have been convened in a few ICSID arbitrations. Most recently, a tribunal was constituted in a dispute […]
In Brief: Proceedings are suspended in dispute between French oil company and Ecuador
By Elizabeth Whitsitt March 11, 2010 Thomas Bingham, President of the ICSID tribunal in Perenco Ecuador Limited v. Ecuador has resigned. At the center of the dispute between Perenco and […]
ICSID finds that corruption has no place in annulment proceedings
By Elizabeth Whitsitt February 14, 2010 American businessman, Jack J. Grynberg, has suffered another setback in his company’s ongoing dispute with Grenada. Commenced in 2005, the ICSID claim was one […]
Consortium building new Quito Airport takes Ecuador to ICSID
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz February 14, 2010 Corporacion Quiport S.A., the company building the new Quito international airport, has initiated arbitration proceedings at ICSID against the Republic of Ecuador in […]
Ad Hoc Committee refuses to lift stay of enforcement or require security regarding ICSID award against Argentina
By Elizabeth Whitsitt January 13, 2010 An ad hoc committee composed of Dr. Gavan Griffith Q.C., Judge Patrick L. Robinson, and Judge Per Tresselt has decided to continue to stay […]
ICSID Tribunal sides with Chile, rejects claimant’s partial revision request in long running dispute over El Clarin newspaper
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz January 13, 2010 An ICSID tribunal has rejected a partial revision request by Pey Casado and the Presidente Allende Foundation of an award rendered in their […]
Cemex v. Venezuela: challenges to ICSID arbitrators must be made «promptly»
By Elizabeth Whitsitt January 13, 2010 On November 6, 2009 two members of an ICSID arbitral tribunal – Judge Gilbert Guillaume (President) and Professor Georges Abi-Saab – dismissed Venezuela’s challenge […]
An ICSID Tribunal splits over whether to hear ancillary claims in dispute over unpaid gas deliveries
By Elizabeth Whitsitt January 13, 2010 In a split decision, an ICSID tribunal has refused to hear ancillary claims advanced by American company, Itera International Energy LLC (Itera), and its […]
Very High Standard of Review for ICSID Annulment Applications Confirmed
By Elizabeth Whitsitt December 6, 2009 An ad hoc committee, established pursuant to the ICSID Arbitration Rules, has rejected the annulment application of two US power companies: M.C.I. Power Group, […]
German investor launches ICSID case against Costa Rica over alleged expropriation of land near endangered turtle habitat
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz December 6, 2009 (Note: a correction has been made to this article. An explanation is posted below) German investor Reinhard Unglaube, a resident of Costa Rica, […]
Continental Casualty and Argentina will continue to battle over financial investments
By Elizabeth Whitsitt December 6, 2009 On October 23, 2009 an ad hoc committee, composed of Gavan Griffith Q.C., Judge Bloa A. Ajibola and Mr. Christer Söderlund, ruled that it […]
Canadian mining company Gold Reserve commences ICSID arbitration against Venezuela
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz December 6, 2009 Canadian mining company Gold Reserve has commenced arbitration against Venezuela at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) over the alleged […]
An End to European mining claims in South Africa?
By Elizabeth Whitsitt December 6, 2009 On November 2, 2009 claimants in the high-profile arbitration involving mining interests owned by Piero Foresti, Laura de Carli and others against the Republic […]
In Brief: Haiti Ratifies ICSID Convention
By Elizabeth Whitsitt November 3, 2009 Haiti has ratified the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the “ICSID Convention”). Haiti deposited its […]
Innovative Steps are Introduced Into Non-Disputing Party ICSID Procedure
By Elizabeth Whitsitt November 3, 2009 In a high-profile arbitration involving mining interests owned by Piero Foresti, Laura de Carli and others versus the Republic of South Africa, an ICSID […]
Cementownia claim against Turkey found to be «manifestly ill-founded»
By Elizabeth Whitsitt November 3, 2009 On September 17, 2009 an ICSID tribunal dismissed yet another claim initiated against the Republic of Turkey by an entity, Cementownia “Nowa Huta” S.A. […]
Quiborax claim against Bolivia continues; may provide first decision on effects of ICSID exit
By Fernando Cabrera November 3, 2009 Chilean Química e Industrial del Bórax Ltd. (“Quiborax”) will continue with its claim against Bolivia at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute […]
Confusion about Settlement Agreement leads to Dismissal of Case Between Dutch Companies and Azerbaijan
By Elizabeth Whitsitt November 3, 2009 After a disagreement regarding the existence of a settlement agreement, an ICSID tribunal has determined that it has no jurisdiction to hear a dispute […]
ALBA moves forward with plan to create regional investment arbitration alternative to ICSID at 7th Summit
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz November 3, 2009 Members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (“ALBA”) are moving forward with a plan to create a regional arbitration […]
F-W Oil Interests Inc. v. Republic of Trinidad & Tobago: A «Relatively Mundane Dispute» after all?
By Elizabeth Whitsitt November 3, 2009 More than three years ago, on March 3, 2006, Texas-based energy company, F-W Oil Interests Inc. (“FWO”) lost its fight against the Republic of […]
An ICSID Tribunal Introduces Innovative Steps Into Non-Disputing Party Procedure
By Elizabeth Whitsitt October 11, 2009 In a high-profile arbitration involving mining interests owned by Piero Foresti, Laura de Carli and others versus the Republic of South Africa, an […]
In Brief: Telefonica and Argentina settle dispute
By Damon Vis-Dunbar 2 October 2009 The Spanish multinational Telefonica and Argentina have discontinued their arbitration at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. The proceedings had been suspended […]