International Investment Agreements Under Scrutiny
Bilateral Investment Treaties, EU Investment Policy and International Development International investment agreements (IIAs) pose serious threats to democracy and the rule of law, important European values to which we are committed in our trade policy; to public interests in social,…
Socialising Losses, Privatising Gains
How Dutch investment treaties harm the public interest Dutch investment treaties (BITs) are frequently used by foreign companies to sue governments in the North and South for policies that might harm their future profits. In 75 per cent of the Dutch BIT cases…
No to ISDS in TTIP
Over 97% of us said no to special tribunals for businesses to sue governments when new laws that protect citizens and the environment get in the way of their profits. This is one of many dangerous measures in a possible…
Trading away Democracy
How CETA’s Investor Protection Rules threaten the Public Good in Canada and the EU The Investor-state dispute settlement mechanism in the far-reaching economic integration agreement between Canada and the European Union prevents governments from acting in the public interest. Download…
S2B refutes European Commission’s defense of controversial investor-to-state dispute settlement
The European Commission recently issued two papers to address growing concerns among civil society and the wider general public over inclusion of the increasingly controversial investor-state dispute settlement mechanism (ISDS) in the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Protection agreement (TTIP).…
Open Letter of civil society against Investor Privileges in TTIP
As a new round of negotiations starts in Wasshington, DC, over 100 civil society groups and social movements from Europe and the USA have signed on an open letter that was sent to the chief negotiators of the Transatlantic Trade…
A transatlantic corporate bill of rights
Investor privileges in EU-US trade deal threaten public interest and democracy This briefing analyses leaked proposals for so-called investor-state dispute settlement under the proposed EU-US deal and reveals a determined lobby campaign from industry lobby groups and law firms to…
BITs that bite into budgets: will the EP let private lawyers decide?
Public discussion of civil society with MEPs, Council & Commission Tuesday, February 26th 2013, – Résidence Palace – International Press Centre, Brussels – The European Union has acquired exclusive competence to negotiate international investment agreements such as Bilateral Investment Treaties…
Profiting from Injustice
How law firms, arbitrators and financiers are fuelling an investment arbitration boom A study by Cecilia Olivet and Pia Eberhardt, published by TNI and CEO has been published. A small club of international law firms, arbitrators and financial speculators are…
The dark side of Investment Agreements
Movements around the world have put the spotlight on bailouts and tax evasion that have enriched the 1% at the expense of the 99% but this is only part of the picture. This popular video animation exposes how international investment…
Vattenfall vs Germany
In May 2012 the Swedish energy company Vattenfall filed a request for arbitration against Germany at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), housed at the World Bank in Washington, , because of Germany´s decision to phase…