FFII – Acta Blog
Juni 2014
Draft FFII submission on ISDS
The European Commission opened a consultation on investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS), the most controversial element of proposed EU trade agreements.
ISDS gives foreign investors, usually multinationals, the right to circumvent domestic courts and challenge decisions of states for international investment tribunals if decisions may lead to lower profits than expected. Multinationals can challenge reform of copyright and patent law, challenge privacy measures, challenge environmental and health policies. The cases are decided by for-profit arbitrators, they can overturn decisions of our supreme courts and our human rights court. For an introduction see Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz or Vrijschrift.
