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ECT

Energy transition mythbusters: Myth #6
25-Sep-2023 TNI
Investment protection is necessary to encourage energy transition investment.
Fossil fuel companies have a secret weapon. Here’s how Britain can help take it away from them
14-Sep-2023 The Guardian
Eleven countries have already pledged to exit the disastrous international charter treaty. We must join them.
RWE’s arbitration case against Dutch state over coal ban inadmissible under EU law
28-Jul-2023 SOMO
Dutch taxpayers have already incurred € 5.4 million in arbitration costs in RWE and Uniper cases.
Portugal announces withdrawal from Energy Charter Treaty
21-Jul-2023 Euractiv
Portugal’s Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro annouced that the country has started withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty, in line with a proposal tabled by the European Commission two weeks ago.
Joint letter: Energy Ministers must support a coordinated withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty
11-Jul-2023 CAN Europe
We call on you to support the Commission’s proposal for a coordinated withdrawal of the EU and all its member states from the Energy Charter Treaty and welcome a discussion of the ECT among energy ministers.
UK should quit ‘climate-wrecking’ energy treaty, say official advisers
11-Jul-2023 The Guardian
Climate Change Committee recommends leaving energy charter treaty, which critics say is ‘weaponised’ by fossil fuel firms.
EU tables Energy Charter Treaty exit, citing climate concerns
10-Jul-2023 Euractiv
The European Commission proposed that EU countries jointly quit an international treaty that has been criticised for blocking efforts to fight climate change because its protection of energy investments extends to fossil fuels.
EU to propose exit from Energy Charter Treaty over climate concerns
30-Jun-2023 Reuters
The European Commission is readying a proposal for EU countries to jointly quit an international energy treaty, after some governments already pledged to leave over climate concerns.
Zenith Energy Ltd launches legal proceedings against Tunisia, seeking compensation of $48 Million
12-Jun-2023 BNN
Zenith Energy Ltd, an international energy firm, filed a lawsuit against Tunisia on Wednesday, claiming financial damages of at least $48 million.
EU mulls partial exit from energy treaty over climate concerns
9-May-2023 Reuters
The European Union is considering a proposal to quit an international energy treaty that has become mired in climate change concerns, but leave an option for individual countries to stay in an updated version of the accord, a document showed.
The ‘climate killing’ clauses helping companies sue governments for climate action
3-May-2023 Yorkshire Bylines
If you’ve never heard of ISDS (investor-state dispute settlement) that’s not surprising. ISDS operates in the shadows. It’s a mechanism for solving disputes between parties in cases of foreign direct investment while offering legal protections for the investor. The investment is typically provided by a private company to a foreign ‘host state’.
A US fund declares Spain in “technical default” and claims almost 1,000 million government bonds
28-Apr-2023 Time.News
The US fund Blasket Renewable Investments has activated the “default” clause that declares Spain at “technical impact” after the Government has not yet paid the pending awards for the cuts in the premiums for renewables.
Spain tells World Bank it will not pay €2-billion ICSID awards for renewable energy debts
28-Apr-2023 Capital Madrid
The World Bank has sent a de­vas­ta­ting letter to the Spanish go­vern­ment to de­mand pay­ment of the awards that con­demn our country to com­pen­sate the in­ves­tors af­fected by the re­tro­ac­tive with­drawal of the pre­miums granted to re­ne­wable ener­gies.
Denmark to withdraw from Energy Charter Treaty
14-Apr-2023 Euractiv
Denmark will withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty as it creates more uncertainties about investments than certainties, the Danish government announced.
The UK and EU must leave the Energy Charter Treaty together
10-Mar-2023 Open Democracy
We can’t be held hostage by a 1990s treaty that allows fossil fuel firms to sue governments.
Switzerland says won’t follow EU out of beleaguered Energy Charter Treaty
13-Feb-2023 Euractiv
Bern said it will not join the European Union’s proposed mass exit from a controversial energy investment protection treaty, sparking fears that fossil fuel companies will use Switzerland as a rear base to keep suing governments over climate action.
Spain sticks with decision to block Berkeley’s uranium mine
8-Feb-2023 Mining.com
Berkeley said it also believes the rejection is not legal as it infringed on its rights under an international agreement known as the Energy Charter Treaty.
Croatia to pay $256 million arbitration award to MOL - minister
3-Feb-2023 Reuters
Croatia will pay $255.7 million to Hungarian oil and gas company MOL under a ruling in an arbitration case at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
Why a coordinated withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty is inevitable
25-Jan-2023 Euractiv
Since October 2022, seven EU member states have announced plans to withdraw from the European Charter Treaty. Across the board, the message is clear: the insufficient and potentially climate-damaging treaty reform effort is no longer a politically viable option.
Polluter doesn’t pay: The Rockhopper v Italy award
23-Jan-2023 EJIL: Talk!
The way in which the reasoning of the Rockhopper award expels any environmental considerations has the effect of making climate change interventions considerably more costly