Trade & Investment

A transatlantic corporate bill of rights

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 grant unprecedented rights to corporations to sue governments for legislation and regulations that interfere with their profits.
The EU trade and Investment Agenda: quashing the aspira...

The EU's launch of negotiations for Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTAs) with four Arab countries in transition – Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia - looks set to entrench an economic model that was one of the root causes of the Arab Spring.
The right to say no

As European Union (EU) member states consider the implications of environmentally risky shale gas development (fracking), negotiations are underway for a controversial EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) which would grant investors the right to challenge governments’ decision to ban and regulate fracking.
Intra-EU Bilateral Investment Treaties

Corporations in Western Europe are suing Central and Eastern European countries at international arbitration tribunals through a vast web of intra-EU Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs). Yet while the European Commission has questioned the validity of these BITs, Netherlands, Germany, and the UK, oppose their termination.
Profiting from injustice

A small club of international law firms, arbitrators and financial speculators are fuelling an investment arbitration boom that is costing taxpayers billions of dollars and preventing legislation in the public interest.

Part of the Economic Justice, Corporate Power and Alternatives Programme, TNI’s Trade & Investment Justice project plays a critical role in challenging the European Union’s 'free' trade and investment policies. Read more about the project.

Articles

Latin America and Caribbean governments meeting on investment regime

Cecilia Olivet

On 22 April, government representatives from Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, St. Vincent and Grenadine, Venezuela, Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico met in Guayaquil (Ecuador) for the 1st Ministerial Meeting of the Latin American States affected by transnational interests.

Arbitrators’ Role in the Recent Investment Arbitration Boom

Cecilia Olivet

Pia Eberhardt

In the 2012 report Profiting from Injustice, jointly published by Corporate Europe Observatory and the Transnational Institute, we boldly asserted that law firms, arbitrators and third-party funders have, over the past two decades, helped maintain an investor-biased arbitration system and have fuelled the rise in investor-state disputes.[1]

Trade and Aid: a Balancing Act

Fiona Dove

Hans Berkhuizen, Ronald Gijsbertsen, Danielle Hirsch, Ruud van den Hurk, Ineke Zeldenrust

One of the wishes of the Fair, Green and Global Alliance[1] (FGG) members was recently fulfilled by the Rutte II Cabinet: the trade and global development portfolios have been brought under a single Minister, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

See all articles

Publications

Balancing Trade and Aid

Fair, Green and Global Alliance

Balancing Trade and Aid With the arrival of the Rutte II cabinet, a wish of the members of the Fair, Green and Global Alliance (FGG) has come true; trade and global development are under the supervision of the same minister.

Beginners Guide to Trade

Cecilia Olivet

Pietje Vervest

et al.

This beginners' guide provides a critical perspective on EU’s trade and investment policies and the business interests they serve. TNI worked on the guide with a Europe-wide network of trade activists, belonging to the Seattle to Brussels network.

Banacol implicated in paramilitarism and landgrabbing in Colombia

Interchurch Justice and Peace Commission

Evidence shows that transnational tropical fruit producer Banacol provided support to paramilitary groups and predatory businessmen involved in land-invasions in Colombia.

See all publications

Events

June 2013

Investor-state dispute resolution:

Public discussion of civil society with MEPs, Council & Commission Tuesday, June 4th 2013, 14.00 - 16.00 Résidence Palace – International Press Centre, Brussels – Polak Room

March 2013

World Social Forum 2013

Defending and Celebrating People’s ‘Dignity’

February 2013

BITs that bite into budgets: Will the European Parliament let private lawyers decide?

A public discussion of civil society with MEPs, Council & Commission to discuss the Financial Responsibility Regulation and the future EU Investment Policy.

See all events

News

Leaked mandate for EU-US free trade deal opens floodgate to multi-million Euro lawsuits by corporations

5 June 2013

The proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US will open the floodgate to multi-million Euro lawsuits from corporations challenging democratic policies to protect the environment and public health, argues a new briefing by Corporate Europe Observatory and the Transnational Institute.

Experts warn Myanmar about risks with investment treaties

31 May 2013

International experts have warned that the use of investment treaty ‘Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS)’ for attracting foreign investments into Myanmar is risky as it grants the investors the right to initiate dispute settlement proceedings against the government under international laws.