investment | BITs
As released by the Australian Government
On 26 March 2019, Australia and Hong Kong signed the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement and its associated investment agreement.
The preferential protection of bilateral investments between Tanzania and the Netherlands is likely to cease next month but the protection for investments made before the date of termination continues to apply for a period of 15 years (until 1 April 2034).
In order to address some of the main outstanding issues at the EU-China summit, the EU negotiators included in their proposal sent to their Chinese counterparts to conclude by 2020 an “ambitious” EU-China investment agreement.
Free trade agreements like the RCEP will infringe on India’s intellectual property laws. India must stand its ground in the interest of public health.
Free trade is simply a euphemism for the corporate capture of international trade.
The broad language in investment agreements has allowed investor-state dispute settlement tribunals to scrutinize tax measures adopted by States, and determine that such measures resulted in a breach of State’s obligations under the agreement.
Myanmar’s Union Parliament approved an agreement on investment between the ASEAN and China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
The Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe wants a new era of cooperation with Angola, building on the investment protection agreement that was signed in 1995.
Seatini said East African countries should find alternative ways to finance development projects rather than depend on public-private partnerships and bilateral investment treaties, which have cost the region dearly.
Lawyers have warned that the European investment agreement with Singapore, endorsed by the EU Parliament, may not be compatible with the law.
India and Argentina agreed to expedite signing of the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and the double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) between the countries to promote economic ties.
Rwandan Members of Parliament kicked off their ordinary sessions by approving a bilateral investment treaty between Rwanda and Qatar.
Civil society organisations urge Member of the European Parliament to not ratify EU - Singapore Investment Protection Agreement
China and the European Union could take a more flexible approach by setting phase-based targets in bilateral investment treaty negotiations.
Clive Palmer has channelled his corporate empire through New Zealand and threatened to use free trade rules to sue Australian taxpayers for $45 billion as part of a dispute with a Chinese mining company.
A foreign innvestment promotion and protection agreement was signed by Nigeria and Canada in May 2014, which Canada ratified in 2014. But Nigeria decided not to ratify the agreement because it was later found unbalanced.
22 of the 28 EU nations have committed to terminate their bilateral investment treaties and use their influence as home states and respondent-states to notify tribunals of the non-arbitrability of intra-EU bilateral investment treaties and Energy Charter Treaty claims.
Corporate social responsibility provisions do not change the corporate or ethical duties of companies into enforceable legal obligations in the context of dispute settlement proceedings but they could help significantly moralize the use of treaty-based arbitration.
The very operational narratives of ICSID arbitrators inculcate an inherent bias towards foreign investors, who are overwhelmingly from European and North America.
