News in Brief
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
CIRDI
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 […]
News in Brief
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
News in Brief
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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.
Mission Creep: International Investment Agreements and Sovereign Debt Restructuring
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
Awards and Decisions
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
News in Brief
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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 […]
Philip Morris v. Uruguay: Will investor-State arbitration send restrictions on tobacco marketing up in smoke?
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
Awards and decisions
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
ICSID Panel Denies Ukraine’s Challenge to Arbitrator
By Elizabeth Whitsitt May 11, 2010 On March 19, 2010 two members of an ICSID arbitral tribunal – the Honourable Davis R. Robinson (President) and Dr. Stanimir A. Alexandrov – […]
Pan American Energy takes Bolivia to ICSID over nationalization of Chaco Petroleum
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English et Español.
RSM Production Corp. files second arbitration against Grenada, sues Freshfields
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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 […]
Bolivia ordered to suspend criminal proceedings in its ongoing dispute with Chilean chemical firm Quiborax
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
ICSID tribunal applies ad hoc approach to confidentiality in arbitral proceeding
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
Tribunals have been constituted in ICSID cases involving Egypt, Cambodia and Argentina
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English et Español.
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 […]
In Memorium: Sir Ian Brownlie Q.C. (1932 – 2010)
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
ICSID finds that corruption has no place in annulment proceedings
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
Consortium building new Quito Airport takes Ecuador to ICSID
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
ICSID tribunal affirms power to exclude counsel, but declines to do so
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
Spanish firms launch ICSID dispute against Mexico over stalled toxic waste disposal project
By Fernando Cabrera Diaz January 13, 2010 Spanish firms Abengoa, S.A. and COFIDES, S.A. have launched a claim with ICSID against Mexico over the stalled opening of a toxic […]
Very High Standard of Review for ICSID Annulment Applications Confirmed
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English et Español.
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
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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?
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English et Español.
In Brief: Haiti Ratifies ICSID Convention
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
Innovative Steps are Introduced Into Non-Disputing Party ICSID Procedure
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English et Español.
Cementownia claim against Turkey found to be « manifestly ill-founded »
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
ALBA moves forward with plan to create regional investment arbitration alternative to ICSID at 7th Summit
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
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 […]
ICSID Tribunal Confirms that Allegations of Corruption Must Be Substantiated by « Clear and Convincing Evidence »
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.
An ICSID Tribunal Introduces Innovative Steps Into Non-Disputing Party Procedure
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English et Español.
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 […]