Forty-First ITF Public Conference: Contracts with States in International Investment Law (In Person Participation)
Date: 19 April 2024
Time: 09.30 - 16.15 (Registration from 09.30)
Please note, this page is for in person participation. If you would like to participate in person, please visit the online booking page.
Event Details
When the ICSID Convention was drafted the prevailing view was that most investor-state disputes would arise out of contracts. However, in practice the majority of ICSID and other investor-state disputes arise out of international investment treaties. At the same time, investor-state disputes based on contracts constitute a significant part of all disputes. Some case arising out of contracts become public, but many remain confidential.
Contracts of investors with states lead to many complex legal issues, the complexity of which is usually determined by the nature of State as a contracting party, issues of sovereign immunity, state responsibility and its influence over domestic courts and other state bodies. Many investor-state contracts include stabilisation clauses aimed at protecting investors from adverse changes in law or regulations but often leading to disputes over the extent of stabilization and the balance of investor protection versus state sovereignty.
States may also file counterclaims against investors, alleging breaches of contractual obligations or violations of domestic laws, leading to additional complexity and potentially escalating disputes. In cases involving multiple entities within an investor's corporate structure, there may be disputes over whether the corporate veil should be pierced to hold individuals or related entities liable for contractual breaches or other wrongdoings.
On 19 April 2024, the Investment Treaty Forum brings together leading practitioners and scholars of international investment law, as well as representatives of governments and intergovernmental organisations to discuss these complex issues and related recent developments.
Dr Maria Chiara Malaguti, President of UNIDROIT (International Institute of Unification of Private Law) will deliver the keynote address. UNIDROIT is known for its work on harmonisation of contract law principles and it is currently working on a major project on investor-state contracts.
Pricing and Registration
The event is free of charge for members of the Investment Treaty Forum (ITF). Free of charge bookings can be made by emailing the Events team.
If you work for a government or an intergovernmental organisation, which is not currently a consultative member of the ITF, please get in touch with Prof. Yarik Kryvoi to apply for free consultative membership.
For others the following fees apply:
Concession fees are available to academics, those who are unwaged and NGOs.
