The concept of investments in international agreements on investment protection The concept of an investment is one of the fundamental constructs in the international investment law, as it is crucial for determination of bilateral or multilateral investment protection treaties' scope of protection regarding particular economic activity of investors in the host state territory. The purpose of this thesis is to provide examples of possible solutions of the dichotomy in the apprehension of the investment concept and its interpretation in practice, in particular with regards to the decisions of arbitral tribunals. A historical analysis of understanding of the investment concept is provided together with its current and historical interpretations in bilateral and multilateral investment protection treaties; with an emphasis that at present, there is no uniform legal definition of the concept of an investment. An absence of such definition does not limit the flow of foreign investments or the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral investment protection treaties, which contain broad definitions of this concept. At the same time, it is possible to trace a tendency to determine objective elements common to all investments, while the primary inspiration is drawn from the economic science and its concept of...

DEFINITION OF INVESTMENT IN INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGREEMENTS Abstract Definition of the investment is of particular importance in terms of scope of the rights and obligations arising out of the investment protection treaties. This is the case especially when we are in the presence of dispute between the foreign investor and the host state where definition forms the basis of the tribunal's jurisdiction. The object of this thesis is in spite of the absence of globally accepted legal definition of "foreign investment" to attempt to summarize most of the historical and current concepts of this notion and to provide by means of the various legal sources, case law as well as the doctrinal points of view the comprehensive approach to its content in the modern international investment law. However this absence of the general legal definition of the international investment was not considered as the obstacle for its use. Instead it represents the advantage in terms of potentially wide field of its application and the flexibility resulting from its openness. Bilateral investment treaties representing the mainstream of the regulation of international investments covers quite a wide field of economic activities to which the investment tribunals in the course of their function attempted to draw some...

Devido ao colapso da economia americana, em 2009, os Fluxos de Capitais foram somente da Ordem Econômica de US$ 1.8 trilhões, 82% menos do que em 2007 (US$ 10.5 trilhões). Em 2009, o volume de comércio diário de ativos foi de US$ 1.5 trilhões, com US$ 178 trilhões como ativos financeiros. Os Investimentos Internacionais produtivos são uma das bases da internacionalização de empresas e do capital. Ao estabelecer uma planta industrial e/ou adquirir ações de empresas, este fluxo transfronteiriço de capital aporta bens, tecnologia, novas práticas administrativas, inter alios actos, e se distingue do investimento bursátil de carácter meramente especulativo e apátrida do hot money. Escrito em 3 (três) capítulos, este trabalho prescruta, no plano internacional, as regras jurídicas dos fluxos produtivos e as Medidas de Comércio Relacionadas aos Investimentos (TRIMs) da Organização Mundial de Comércio (OMC). Estas contêm cláusulas de Restrições as Práticas de Negócios que impedem os Estados-Membros da OMC a realizarem políticas públicas de desenvolvimento nacional. Não se olvidando do diálogo das fontes normativas internacionais, uma vez que a OMC não está em isolamento clínico do direito internacional, assim, verifica-se um claro embate entre a Soberania Permanente aos Recursos Naturais e o Direito ao Desenvolvimento. Entre mais de 140 (cento e quarenta) casos julgados pelo ICSID, excepcionalemente, e somente em 1 (um), o Estado-hospedeiro venceu, feito o exame dos 2 (dois) grandes sistemas jurídicos de investimentos. A tríade (EUA, UE, Japão) mais Coreia do Sul querem um modelo ainda mais liberal de regras de investimentos na OMC. Discorre este trabalho sobre os mais de 2.500 (dois mil e quinhentos) Bilateral Investments Treaties (BITs) e os Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), como o do NAFTA, draft do MAI, e as Instituições de Bretton Woods ligadas ao IED, e a interação com a Doutrina, Jurisprudência e tendências. A UNCTAD critica veementemente este conjunto de regras liberais, sejam os BITs, sejam as TRIMs. O núcleo irradiador deste trabalho é a Declaração Conjunta indo-brasileira, que propõe a Reforma das TRIMs (G/TRIMS/W/25) para permitir, por meio de compras locais e requisitos de performance, o manejo de políticas públicas de desenvolvimento nacional hoje proibidas. Este trabalho conclui ser a Reforma das TRIMs uma impraticabilidade diplomática, de modo que o direito ao desenvolvimento dar-se-ia como improvável exceção. / Due to the US economic downturn, the Capital Flows in 2009 were only from the economic order of U.S.$ 1.8 trillion, 82% less than 2007 (US$ 10.5 trillion). In 2009 the daily trading volume of assets were U.S.$ 1.5 trillion with US$ 178 trillion as financial assets. The productive International Investments are one of the bases from the internationalization enterprises and of the capital. By establishing an industrial plant and/or acquire assets of companies, this cross-border flow of capital brings goods, technology, new management practices, inter alios acts. Distinguishing itself, by this way, from the stock market investment of purely speculative character and stateless, from the hot money. Written in 3 (three) chapters, this work search, in the international field, the legal rules from productive flows and the Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) of the World Trade Organization (WTO). These clauses contains Restrictive Business Practices (RBP) that prevents States-Members from the WTO to carry out public policies of national development. Not forgetting the dialogue of sources from international rules, once the WTO is not in clinical isolation from the international law there is a clear clash between the Permanent Sovereignty on Natural Resources and the Right to Development. Between more than 140 (one hundred and forty) cases tried by ICSID, exceptionally and only one (one) the host-State won. Made the examination of the 2 (two) major legal systems of investments. The Triad (USA, EU and Japan) plus South Korea wants a model with more liberal investment rules in the WTO. Discusses this work on the more than 2500 (two thousand and five hundred) Bilateral Investments Treaties (BITs) and Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) such as NAFTA, the MAI draft, and the Bretton Woods institutions related to FDI and the interaction with doctrine, jurisprudence and trends. UNCTAD strongly criticizes this liberal set of rules, not only the BITs, but also the TRIMs. The core matter from this work is the Indo-Brazilian Joint Statement on the Reform of the TRIMs (G/TRIMS/W/25), that proposes through local purchases and performance requirements the right of management of public policies for national development currently forbidden. This work concludes that the Reform of the TRIMs is a diplomatic impractibility, in a mode that the Right to development can be achieved as an improbable exception

No contexto de avanço da globalização, o Investimento Estrangeiro Direto (IED) mostra-se como um dos principais veículos para a inserção internacional dos países. Como os objetivos das empresas transnacionais e dos Estados hospedeiros não são os mesmos, há a necessidade de adoção de políticas que levem à convergência. No plano legal, observou-se nas últimas décadas a consolidação do regime internacional dos investimentos, com o crescimento exponencial do número de tratados de investimento e de arbitragens investidor-Estado fundadas nos mesmos. Mas há insatisfações de parte a parte com o sistema. Por um lado, os países tentam limitar o ativismo dos árbitros mediante a revisão de seus tratados. Por outro, tanto os investidores como os Estados começam a perceber que não há vencedores reais na arbitragem, dadas as suas diversas deficiências. Nomeadamente: custos elevados, longa duração, incoerência nas decisões e desgaste para as relações investidor-Estado no longo prazo. Nesse diapasão, surgem propostas de alternativas. Pensadores do sistema, valendo-se do Planejamento de Sistemas de Disputas, têm desenvolvido Políticas de Prevenção de Controvérsias. Tais políticas fundamentam-se nas dinâmicas de busca de soluções baseadas em interesses contrapostas às baseadas na força e nos direitos seguindo processos de administração precoce de conflitos. Diversos países, em diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento, têm tido êxito na implementação dessas políticas. A difusão das melhores práticas, movimento apoiado por organizações internacionais, oferece oportunidades para a melhora da governança, através da promoção de maior coerência e coordenação nas ações do Estado, da transparência e do império da lei. O tema é de interesse para o Brasil, país que, diferentemente dos demais, nunca ratificou um único tratado de investimento. Isso porque já surgem vozes na indústria clamando por uma mudança de posição, diante da emergência do país também como um exportador de capital. Caso tal inflexão se confirme, o Brasil tem a oportunidade de tomar partido das melhores experiências internacionais, usando tais tratados como instrumentos na sua estratégia de desenvolvimento. / Against the background of globalization, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is perceived as one of the key vehicles in the pursuit of countries for global insertion. Since the purposes of transnational corporations and host States do not coincide, there is a need to implement policies leading to convergence. In the legal dimension, the last two decades have witnessed the consolidation of the international investment regime, with an exponential growth in the number of investment treaties and investor-State arbitration proceedings based on them. However, both sides are experiencing discontent with the current system. On the one hand, countries attempt to limit arbitrators activism, undertaking a review of treaties they are parties to. On the other, both investors and States have come to realize that there are no true winners in arbitration, in light of its several shortcomings. Namely: high costs, long duration, discrepant decisions and damages to the long term relationship between investors and States. In line with these concerns, several proposals for alternatives have come to light. System thinkers, based on concepts of Dispute Systems Design, have been developing Dispute Prevention Policies. Such policies are rooted in seeking interest-based solutions as opposed to power and rights-based ones following processes of early conflict management. Several countries, with varying levels of development, have succeeded in implementing such policies. Spreading best practices, an initiative supported by international organizations, allows for improvements in domestic governance, through the promotion of greater coherence and coordination in State actions, transparency and the rule of law. This matter is of interest to Brazil, a country that, unlike others, has never ratified a single investment treaty. There are now growing demands from Brazilian corporations for a shift in position, in view of the countrys emergence as a source of outward FDI. Should such a shift take place, Brazil has in its hands the opportunity to learn from international best practices and use such treaties as instruments in its development strategy.

This dissertation analyses the implications of international investment law on host states’ legal ability to protect the environment, regulate sustainable use of natural resources, and develop new approaches to manage environmental risks and uncertainties. ‘Environmental policy space’ is found to be a useful term when exploring the regulatory autonomy in this context. On one hand, investment law aims to ensure stability of the investment environment. On the other hand, environmental law needs flexibility to react to the degradation of the environment. It is found that those different aims do not have to be in conflict. There are useful mechanisms in national environmental law which provide for accessible, transparent and predictable decisions for the private actor. These mechanisms can fulfill the aim of stability in investment law. It is, however, concluded that core provisions of international investment treaties risk to put constraints to environmental law in a variety of ways. To diminish these risks, states, when concluding investment treaties, should make clear that constraining environmental regulation is not compatible with the overarching aim of sustainable development. Furthermore, the interpretation of provisions of investment protection must respect principles and instruments of environmental law not to continue being unbalanced towards investor interests. It is also concluded that allowing for investor – state arbitration, without the investor exhausting local remedies, will ignore the important national administrative review system of public environmental measures.

Economic globalization, the liberalization of markets, and the opening of once closed societies have all heralded the remarkable emergence of the current system of investment treaty arbitration. The current system, however, has attracted significant criticism and calls for reform. This thesis reviews the historical employment of arbitration in international society and the circumstances that lead to the emergence of the current system of investor-state dispute settlement. Following this, two recent proposals for reform of the current system are outlined: the creation of an international court of investment and the implementation of appellate mechanisms for investment treaty arbitration. The thesis concludes by offering an assessment of these proposals and argues for the rejection of the proposal to replace the current system with an international investment court, but offers a cautious endorsement of appellate mechanisms. / Graduate

No contexto de avanço da globalização, o Investimento Estrangeiro Direto (IED) mostra-se como um dos principais veículos para a inserção internacional dos países. Como os objetivos das empresas transnacionais e dos Estados hospedeiros não são os mesmos, há a necessidade de adoção de políticas que levem à convergência. No plano legal, observou-se nas últimas décadas a consolidação do regime internacional dos investimentos, com o crescimento exponencial do número de tratados de investimento e de arbitragens investidor-Estado fundadas nos mesmos. Mas há insatisfações de parte a parte com o sistema. Por um lado, os países tentam limitar o ativismo dos árbitros mediante a revisão de seus tratados. Por outro, tanto os investidores como os Estados começam a perceber que não há vencedores reais na arbitragem, dadas as suas diversas deficiências. Nomeadamente: custos elevados, longa duração, incoerência nas decisões e desgaste para as relações investidor-Estado no longo prazo. Nesse diapasão, surgem propostas de alternativas. Pensadores do sistema, valendo-se do Planejamento de Sistemas de Disputas, têm desenvolvido Políticas de Prevenção de Controvérsias. Tais políticas fundamentam-se nas dinâmicas de busca de soluções baseadas em interesses contrapostas às baseadas na força e nos direitos seguindo processos de administração precoce de conflitos. Diversos países, em diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento, têm tido êxito na implementação dessas políticas. A difusão das melhores práticas, movimento apoiado por organizações internacionais, oferece oportunidades para a melhora da governança, através da promoção de maior coerência e coordenação nas ações do Estado, da transparência e do império da lei. O tema é de interesse para o Brasil, país que, diferentemente dos demais, nunca ratificou um único tratado de investimento. Isso porque já surgem vozes na indústria clamando por uma mudança de posição, diante da emergência do país também como um exportador de capital. Caso tal inflexão se confirme, o Brasil tem a oportunidade de tomar partido das melhores experiências internacionais, usando tais tratados como instrumentos na sua estratégia de desenvolvimento. / Against the background of globalization, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is perceived as one of the key vehicles in the pursuit of countries for global insertion. Since the purposes of transnational corporations and host States do not coincide, there is a need to implement policies leading to convergence. In the legal dimension, the last two decades have witnessed the consolidation of the international investment regime, with an exponential growth in the number of investment treaties and investor-State arbitration proceedings based on them. However, both sides are experiencing discontent with the current system. On the one hand, countries attempt to limit arbitrators activism, undertaking a review of treaties they are parties to. On the other, both investors and States have come to realize that there are no true winners in arbitration, in light of its several shortcomings. Namely: high costs, long duration, discrepant decisions and damages to the long term relationship between investors and States. In line with these concerns, several proposals for alternatives have come to light. System thinkers, based on concepts of Dispute Systems Design, have been developing Dispute Prevention Policies. Such policies are rooted in seeking interest-based solutions as opposed to power and rights-based ones following processes of early conflict management. Several countries, with varying levels of development, have succeeded in implementing such policies. Spreading best practices, an initiative supported by international organizations, allows for improvements in domestic governance, through the promotion of greater coherence and coordination in State actions, transparency and the rule of law. This matter is of interest to Brazil, a country that, unlike others, has never ratified a single investment treaty. There are now growing demands from Brazilian corporations for a shift in position, in view of the countrys emergence as a source of outward FDI. Should such a shift take place, Brazil has in its hands the opportunity to learn from international best practices and use such treaties as instruments in its development strategy.

Devido ao colapso da economia americana, em 2009, os Fluxos de Capitais foram somente da Ordem Econômica de US$ 1.8 trilhões, 82% menos do que em 2007 (US$ 10.5 trilhões). Em 2009, o volume de comércio diário de ativos foi de US$ 1.5 trilhões, com US$ 178 trilhões como ativos financeiros. Os Investimentos Internacionais produtivos são uma das bases da internacionalização de empresas e do capital. Ao estabelecer uma planta industrial e/ou adquirir ações de empresas, este fluxo transfronteiriço de capital aporta bens, tecnologia, novas práticas administrativas, inter alios actos, e se distingue do investimento bursátil de carácter meramente especulativo e apátrida do hot money. Escrito em 3 (três) capítulos, este trabalho prescruta, no plano internacional, as regras jurídicas dos fluxos produtivos e as Medidas de Comércio Relacionadas aos Investimentos (TRIMs) da Organização Mundial de Comércio (OMC). Estas contêm cláusulas de Restrições as Práticas de Negócios que impedem os Estados-Membros da OMC a realizarem políticas públicas de desenvolvimento nacional. Não se olvidando do diálogo das fontes normativas internacionais, uma vez que a OMC não está em isolamento clínico do direito internacional, assim, verifica-se um claro embate entre a Soberania Permanente aos Recursos Naturais e o Direito ao Desenvolvimento. Entre mais de 140 (cento e quarenta) casos julgados pelo ICSID, excepcionalemente, e somente em 1 (um), o Estado-hospedeiro venceu, feito o exame dos 2 (dois) grandes sistemas jurídicos de investimentos. A tríade (EUA, UE, Japão) mais Coreia do Sul querem um modelo ainda mais liberal de regras de investimentos na OMC. Discorre este trabalho sobre os mais de 2.500 (dois mil e quinhentos) Bilateral Investments Treaties (BITs) e os Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), como o do NAFTA, draft do MAI, e as Instituições de Bretton Woods ligadas ao IED, e a interação com a Doutrina, Jurisprudência e tendências. A UNCTAD critica veementemente este conjunto de regras liberais, sejam os BITs, sejam as TRIMs. O núcleo irradiador deste trabalho é a Declaração Conjunta indo-brasileira, que propõe a Reforma das TRIMs (G/TRIMS/W/25) para permitir, por meio de compras locais e requisitos de performance, o manejo de políticas públicas de desenvolvimento nacional hoje proibidas. Este trabalho conclui ser a Reforma das TRIMs uma impraticabilidade diplomática, de modo que o direito ao desenvolvimento dar-se-ia como improvável exceção. / Due to the US economic downturn, the Capital Flows in 2009 were only from the economic order of U.S.$ 1.8 trillion, 82% less than 2007 (US$ 10.5 trillion). In 2009 the daily trading volume of assets were U.S.$ 1.5 trillion with US$ 178 trillion as financial assets. The productive International Investments are one of the bases from the internationalization enterprises and of the capital. By establishing an industrial plant and/or acquire assets of companies, this cross-border flow of capital brings goods, technology, new management practices, inter alios acts. Distinguishing itself, by this way, from the stock market investment of purely speculative character and stateless, from the hot money. Written in 3 (three) chapters, this work search, in the international field, the legal rules from productive flows and the Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) of the World Trade Organization (WTO). These clauses contains Restrictive Business Practices (RBP) that prevents States-Members from the WTO to carry out public policies of national development. Not forgetting the dialogue of sources from international rules, once the WTO is not in clinical isolation from the international law there is a clear clash between the Permanent Sovereignty on Natural Resources and the Right to Development. Between more than 140 (one hundred and forty) cases tried by ICSID, exceptionally and only one (one) the host-State won. Made the examination of the 2 (two) major legal systems of investments. The Triad (USA, EU and Japan) plus South Korea wants a model with more liberal investment rules in the WTO. Discusses this work on the more than 2500 (two thousand and five hundred) Bilateral Investments Treaties (BITs) and Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) such as NAFTA, the MAI draft, and the Bretton Woods institutions related to FDI and the interaction with doctrine, jurisprudence and trends. UNCTAD strongly criticizes this liberal set of rules, not only the BITs, but also the TRIMs. The core matter from this work is the Indo-Brazilian Joint Statement on the Reform of the TRIMs (G/TRIMS/W/25), that proposes through local purchases and performance requirements the right of management of public policies for national development currently forbidden. This work concludes that the Reform of the TRIMs is a diplomatic impractibility, in a mode that the Right to development can be achieved as an improbable exception

Over the last decades technological companies have grown significantly and impacted our societies both politically and economically.The significant amount of user data these companies collect and manage have economic as well as political impacts on our societies.  The busines model of social media companies has raised alerts and provoked calls for regulatory measures. The thesis investigated whether social media platforms ‘data’ can constitute a protected investment under a Bilateral Investment Treaty, and what is the position of the international investment law if any about the digital economy. The author made an analysis of data localization regulation to determine if tech companies can claim protection under a BIT to avoid potential issues of a domestic regulation. After the analysis of international legal instruments, BITs and scholar literature the results of the study concluded that data could constitute a protected investment under the wording of certain BITs.

In the world we live in today, the international trade and economy is becoming more and more dependent on data. Data that can be transferred across borders and during the last couple of years there is an observable trend that the cross-border data flows is increasing. The increase of the cross-border data flows is a result of the vast boom in the global digitalization.  Businesses and enterprises can use the data accessible in multiple kinds of ways, follow and keep control of production chains, follow the demand of consumers, and make alterations to the products following the requests of the consumers. This is improving the efficiency and productivity of the businesses. The free flow of data across borders does not only have positive effect for the businesses, but also from a larger perspective, it also contributes to the welfare of countries, and provide new possibilities and opportunities. Despite the fact that the free flow of data has its great effects on both businesses and the welfare of states, states are imposing restrictions on cross-border data flows. The restrictions in place are of deferent kinds, some makes it mandatory to store or process data, while other restrictions are harsher and could provide a ban or cut off on cross-border data flow.  In the legal system of international investment law, the fair and equitable treatment standard is a standard found in treaties, bilateral and multilateral. The standard is protecting the forging investors.  If a state is enforcing a restriction with an effect equivalent to a ban on cross-border data flow, what is the relation of that restriction to the fair and equitable treatment standard?