FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2018
Luxembourg — A report published today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and ClientEarth reveals that the recent Achmea ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) could render investment agreements between the European Union (EU) or its Member States and non-EU countries illegal. The report analyzes how the March 2018 ECJ decision — which found investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions in bilateral investment agreements between EU countries incompatible with EU law — extends beyond intra-EU trade deals and could apply to any EU agreement with third parties, a finding that could radically reshape the future of investor-state dispute settlement.
The report finds that there could be serious implications for agreements with non-EU countries, including that countries would be unable to enforce awards granted under existing agreements, and the European Commission would be unable to negotiate new agreements that include investment arbitration provisions.
ClientEarth trade lawyer Laurens Ankersmit says, “Domestic courts are the keystone to Europe’s judicial system and the judgment in Achmea makes clear that these courts are constitutionally protected against ISDS. Non-EU countries, including developing countries, should be aware of the profound consequences of this judgment for their investment agreements with Europe. Their investors may not be able to rely on these agreements anymore and this should raise the question whether such agreements should be maintained.”
“ISDS is profoundly problematic, from the issues of jurisdiction highlighted in the Achmea ruling to the inequality between investors’ rights and investors’ obligations to respect human rights and local laws,” says Layla Hughes, Senior Attorney for CIEL. “The ECJ’s ruling could have a ripple effect for investment agreements around the world because it raises fundamental questions about how ISDS undermines countries’ own legal systems. The ECJ ruling could be the first domino falling on the end of ISDS worldwide.”
On April 23-27, more than 50 countries will gather to meet for a working group of the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to discuss reforms to the ISDS system. The EU has used UNCITRAL and other fora to push its proposal for a Multilateral Investment Court to hear investment disputes. “Our analysis suggests UNCITRAL should carefully consider the value of reforming ISDS given that the ECJ has ruled its very premise violates EU law,” adds Hughes.
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Contact:
Amanda Kistler, Communications Director: akistler@ciel.org, 202.742.5832
Notes to Editors:
- Link to legal briefing: https://www.ciel.org/reports/implications-of-achmea/
- Opinion in EU Observer: https://euobserver.com/opinion/141748
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Since 1989, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy in the global public interest, including through legal counsel, policy research, analysis, education, training, and capacity building.
ClientEarth
ClientEarth is a non-profit environmental law organisation, founded in 2008, with offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, Beijing and New York. ClientEarth works to protect the environment through advocacy, litigation and science, basing its strategic decisions on the best research and policy analysis and acting on legal opportunities – whether influencing decision-makers or in court.