Settlement of International Investment Disputes The purpose of my thesis is to introduce the basic types of settlement of international investment disputes while focusing especially on arbitration proceedings conducted by tribunals of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, hereinafter referred to as ICSID. The main purpose of the thesis in this respect is to critically evaluate the situation that currently exists in international investment arbitration due to the absence of an appellate review mechanism in ICSID system and to suggest solutions to this problem. The evaluation includes both a description of current possibilities of review and a proposal of an appellate body along with alternatives thereto. The thesis is composed of three chapters. The first chapter is introductory and concerns the basic terminology of international investment law. It focuses on defining the terms investment and investor, i.e. terms that are essential for comprehension of the nature of international investment disputes. It defines the terms using mainly the ICSID case law. The second chapter deals with the individual methods of settlement of investment disputes. First it mentions diplomatic protection as a method used especially in past. It also mentions conciliation proceedings and describes the role...

This thesis the Reform of the WTO Dispute Settlement System, deals with urgent questions about the most important system resolution in international economic law. The WTO Dispute Settlement was established in 1995 and since then it has become a prime example of evolution in the field of international dispute resolution. The system itself has indeed its flaws and therefore its critics. Even its "founding fathers" indented to conduct a reform of the mechanism after few years in action. However, the reform has not yet materialised. The aim of the thesis is to discuss the state of negotiations over the reform of the system, in particular in context of power and rule orientation, and to analyze possible causes of the current state. The thesis is composed of six chapters. Chapter One offers brief characterization of the WTO Dispute Settlement and its main document Understanding on rules and procedures governing the settlement of disputes (DSU), which is found in Annex 2 of the WTO Agreement. Chapter Two chronologically follows the so far unsuccessful development of DSU Revision in WTO. In international trade disputes, two ways of their settlement are recognised: power-oriented and rule-oriented. Both methods are described in Chapter Three. The Chapter Four focuses on the institutional dimension of the...

The World Trade Organization ("WTO") and its dispute resolution systém is unique in the international economic law, reasons are following: (i) enforcement, (ii) two-level proceding, (iii) exclusive jurisdiction of the Dispute Settlement Body ("DSU"). DSU continues to follow the case law based on GATT 1947 however develops more complex rule of law. How successful DSB is in this task is subject of examination of the thesis. Thesis is divided into two parts: theoritecal and practical. First chapter explains aim of the DSU, comparison of procedural rules with GATT 1947. Following, the second chapter explains the hard law and procedural rules, function and aim of WTO, followed by ideas for improvement of the dispute settlement. Last chapter of this parts is dedicated to methods of interpretation. The second part, practical, analyses the case law of DSU from its establishment in 1995 until now. It analyses possible conflicts between agreements of WTO or conflicts that arise during acting based on the agreements. Among the first cases belong the discrepancies between main 3 agreements - GATT 1994, GATS and TRIPS and cases such as Canada - Periodicals or Argentina- Textiles and Apparel, Indonesia - Auto; another group of cases represents isme of conflict between WTO agreement and other agreement of public...

O presente trabalho trata da legitimidade da técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação do sistema de solução de controvérsias da Organização Mundial do Comércio. A indagação que realizamos durante o trabalho é se o método interpretativo utilizado pelo Órgão de Apelação, em si, é legítimo e se, dadas as características específicas dos acordos da OMC, esse método reforça a própria legitimidade do sistema multilateral do comércio. Para tanto, definimos no primeiro capítulo o conceito de legitimidade do sistema multilateral de comércio no qual figuram, como elementos de fundamental relevância, as medidas de construção de confiança entre os Membros da OMC e a sua expectativa de que o sistema de solução de controvérsias da OMC traga segurança e previsibilidade às regras negociadas por consenso durante a Rodada Uruguai. Argumentamos que a primazia dada à letra dos acordos é um dos elementos fundamentais da segurança e da previsibilidade buscada pelos Membros da OMC. Tratamos da legitimidade da técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação da OMC comparando-a com outras técnicas utilizadas por outras cortes internacionais. Analisamos quais seriam os efeitos da aplicação de outros métodos interpretativos no sistema multilateral de comércio, como por exemplo, a interpretação teleológica. Para melhor compreender os fundamentos da técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação, interessou-nos examinar os métodos de interpretação de outros sistemas de direito contemporâneo, notadamente, o Common Law e o Civil Law, e verificar se procede a afirmação de parte da doutrina especializada de que há uma influência predominante do Common Law no sistema de solução de controvérsias da OMC, que supostamente colocaria em risco a legitimidade das decisões do Órgão de Apelação. Embora tenhamos denominado o presente trabalho como a técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação, verificamos que essa técnica não é mecânica. Não supomos ser suficiente que o Órgão de Apelação simplesmente siga matematicamente os critérios da Convenção de Viena sobre Direito dos Tratados para alcançar o resultado e a solução para o caso concreto. Verificamos que a interpretação de um tratado vai além da técnica, envolve um raciocínio e, em última análise, uma escolha. Estudamos essa técnica/arte de raciocínio no presente trabalho. Analisamos como os elementos exteriores à técnica mecânica fazem parte da interpretação, como, por exemplo, o confronto de juízes de nacionalidades distintas e o peso da denominada cultura jurídica na prática interpretativa, além do perfil cultural de parte dos membros do Órgão de Apelação. / This work deals with the legitimacy of the interpretive technique of the World Trade Organizations dispute settlement systems Appellate Body. We ask whether the interpretive method used by the Appellate Body is, in itself, legitimate, and whether, given the specific characteristics of the system, this method reinforces the legitimacy of the multilateral trade system itself. To this end, in the introductory chapter we define the concept of the legitimacy of the multilateral trade system, in which elements of fundamental importance include the measures to build confidence among the World Trade Organization members and their expectation that the World Trade Organization dispute settlement system brings predictability to the rules negotiated by consensus during the Uruguay Round. We argue that the primacy given to the letter of the agreements is one of the fundamental elements of security and predictability sought by WTO members. We deal with the legitimacy of the World Trade Organization Appellate Bodys interpretive technique, comparing it to other techniques used by other international courts. We analyze what the effects of the application of other interpretive methods, such as, for example, teleological interpretation, would be in the multilateral trade system. To better understand the fundamentals of the Appellate Bodys interpretive technique, we examine the interpretive methods of other contemporary legal systems, especially of the common law and the civil law systems, to determine whether the claim made in the specialized legal literature that there is a predominant influence of the common law in the WTO dispute settlement system, which is allegedly putting the legitimacy of the Appellate Bodys decisions at risk, is correct. Although we have given this work the name the interpretive technique of the Appellate Body, we suggest this technique is not mechanical. We do not suppose that it is sufficient for the Appellate Body to simply mechanically follow the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties criteria to reach the result and the resolution of a concrete case. We have found that the interpretation of a treaty goes beyond the technique and involves reasoning and, in the final analysis, a choice. We have studied this reasoning technique/art in this work. We analyze how the elements exterior to the mechanical technique are part of the interpretation, such as, for example, the confrontation of judges with different nationalities and the weight of the so-called legal culture in the practice of interpretation, in addition to the cultural profile of the members of the Appellate Body.

O presente trabalho trata da legitimidade da técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação do sistema de solução de controvérsias da Organização Mundial do Comércio. A indagação que realizamos durante o trabalho é se o método interpretativo utilizado pelo Órgão de Apelação, em si, é legítimo e se, dadas as características específicas dos acordos da OMC, esse método reforça a própria legitimidade do sistema multilateral do comércio. Para tanto, definimos no primeiro capítulo o conceito de legitimidade do sistema multilateral de comércio no qual figuram, como elementos de fundamental relevância, as medidas de construção de confiança entre os Membros da OMC e a sua expectativa de que o sistema de solução de controvérsias da OMC traga segurança e previsibilidade às regras negociadas por consenso durante a Rodada Uruguai. Argumentamos que a primazia dada à letra dos acordos é um dos elementos fundamentais da segurança e da previsibilidade buscada pelos Membros da OMC. Tratamos da legitimidade da técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação da OMC comparando-a com outras técnicas utilizadas por outras cortes internacionais. Analisamos quais seriam os efeitos da aplicação de outros métodos interpretativos no sistema multilateral de comércio, como por exemplo, a interpretação teleológica. Para melhor compreender os fundamentos da técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação, interessou-nos examinar os métodos de interpretação de outros sistemas de direito contemporâneo, notadamente, o Common Law e o Civil Law, e verificar se procede a afirmação de parte da doutrina especializada de que há uma influência predominante do Common Law no sistema de solução de controvérsias da OMC, que supostamente colocaria em risco a legitimidade das decisões do Órgão de Apelação. Embora tenhamos denominado o presente trabalho como a técnica interpretativa do Órgão de Apelação, verificamos que essa técnica não é mecânica. Não supomos ser suficiente que o Órgão de Apelação simplesmente siga matematicamente os critérios da Convenção de Viena sobre Direito dos Tratados para alcançar o resultado e a solução para o caso concreto. Verificamos que a interpretação de um tratado vai além da técnica, envolve um raciocínio e, em última análise, uma escolha. Estudamos essa técnica/arte de raciocínio no presente trabalho. Analisamos como os elementos exteriores à técnica mecânica fazem parte da interpretação, como, por exemplo, o confronto de juízes de nacionalidades distintas e o peso da denominada cultura jurídica na prática interpretativa, além do perfil cultural de parte dos membros do Órgão de Apelação. / This work deals with the legitimacy of the interpretive technique of the World Trade Organizations dispute settlement systems Appellate Body. We ask whether the interpretive method used by the Appellate Body is, in itself, legitimate, and whether, given the specific characteristics of the system, this method reinforces the legitimacy of the multilateral trade system itself. To this end, in the introductory chapter we define the concept of the legitimacy of the multilateral trade system, in which elements of fundamental importance include the measures to build confidence among the World Trade Organization members and their expectation that the World Trade Organization dispute settlement system brings predictability to the rules negotiated by consensus during the Uruguay Round. We argue that the primacy given to the letter of the agreements is one of the fundamental elements of security and predictability sought by WTO members. We deal with the legitimacy of the World Trade Organization Appellate Bodys interpretive technique, comparing it to other techniques used by other international courts. We analyze what the effects of the application of other interpretive methods, such as, for example, teleological interpretation, would be in the multilateral trade system. To better understand the fundamentals of the Appellate Bodys interpretive technique, we examine the interpretive methods of other contemporary legal systems, especially of the common law and the civil law systems, to determine whether the claim made in the specialized legal literature that there is a predominant influence of the common law in the WTO dispute settlement system, which is allegedly putting the legitimacy of the Appellate Bodys decisions at risk, is correct. Although we have given this work the name the interpretive technique of the Appellate Body, we suggest this technique is not mechanical. We do not suppose that it is sufficient for the Appellate Body to simply mechanically follow the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties criteria to reach the result and the resolution of a concrete case. We have found that the interpretation of a treaty goes beyond the technique and involves reasoning and, in the final analysis, a choice. We have studied this reasoning technique/art in this work. We analyze how the elements exterior to the mechanical technique are part of the interpretation, such as, for example, the confrontation of judges with different nationalities and the weight of the so-called legal culture in the practice of interpretation, in addition to the cultural profile of the members of the Appellate Body.

L’interprétation des dispositions des accords de l’OMC constitue l’enjeu principal de la phase d’appel du système de règlement des différends. Ce processus intellectuel vise à établir le sens des normes. La compétence d’interprétation procure donc un pouvoir normatif important que l’Organe d’appel est, en pratique, le seul à détenir en dernier ressort à l’OMC. Cependant, elle est encadrée par l’obligation, imposée par le Mémorandum d’accord sur les règles et procédures régissant le règlement des différends, d’assurer la sécurité et la prévisibilité du système commercial multilatéral. Or, l’interprétation est une opération, par nature, quasi discrétionnaire. Elle ne peut donc théoriquement pas répondre à l’objectif de sécurité. Cette thèse montre que l’Organe d’appel parvient pourtant à faire face à ce double défi : procurer, par le biais de l’interprétation, un sentiment de sécurité juridique aux membres, et assurer un minimum de sécurité juridique au système. L’Organe d’appel a conscience que l’interprétation est avant tout perçue comme une opération technique et soigne sa mise en œuvre. Sa technique interprétative rationnelle, sans être en mesure de garantir la prévisibilité, lui permet néanmoins de procurer aux membres de l’OMC un sentiment de sécurité juridique. Sa politique interprétative, basée sur l’intégration du droit de l’OMC dans le système juridique international et sur le développement et le maintien de l’unité du système OMC, lui permet, quant à elle, d’instaurer de facto une situation de relative sécurité juridique. L’Organe d’appel parvient ainsi à faire de la sécurité juridique un principe d’interprétation. / The interpretation of WTO rules is the main stake of the appeal stage of the Dispute Settlement System. This intellectual process aims at establishing the meaning of the rules. The Appellate Body has thus a strong normative power. Moreover it is de facto the only one to exercise this competence without appeal. However, this competence is limited by the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes which requires the Appellate Body to provide security and predictability to the multilateral trading system. Yet, interpretation is a near discretionary operation by nature and cannot, in theory, meet the security goal. This study demonstrates that the Appellate Body, though, manages to face this double challenge. It has to bring, thanks to interpretation, a security feeling to the WTO Members and to provide security to the system. The Appellate Body is careful about the implementation of interpretation because it is aware that interpretation is above all understood as a technical operation. Its interpretative technique is rational and, even if it is not able to ensure predictability, it brings the Members a security feeling. Its interpretative policy is based on the integration of WTO law in the international legal system and on the development and preservation of unity of the WTO system. It establishes a situation of relative legal certainty. In this way, the Appellate Body manages to use legal certainty as an interpretative principle.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system is facing unprecedented challenges, following the United States (US) decision to block the appointment of all Appellate Body members. The US has justified its blocking tactic, already implemented since 2017 by raising several procedural and substantive concerns with the Appellate Body's failure to follow WTO rules. On 10 December 2019, the Appellate Body was forced to suspend its activities after the second terms of two of the remaining three members expired. While the WTO dispute settlement system continues to function at the panel stage, the Appellate Body is currently unable to review appeals because it lacks the minimum number of three members required to establish a division. In addition, the collapse of the Appellate Body means that any party to a dispute can block the adoption of a panel report by filing a notice to appeal which is likely to remain in limbo for an indefinite period. Numerous studies have discussed the Appellate Body crisis and its implications for the WTO dispute settlement system. Few, however, have critically analysed the validity of the concerns that the US has raised about the Appellate Body's work over the past few years. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to discuss and critically analyse these concerns to determine whether the Appellate Body has indeed strayed from its limited mandate. In addition, the research will provide recommendations on how to save the appellate stage and ensure that appeals are resolved while WTO members attempt to find permanent solutions to this unprecedented crisis.

Magister Legum - LLM / The World Trade Organisation (WTO) deals with regulation of trade in goods, services and intellectual property between participating countries by providing a framework for negotiating trade agreements.1 Furthermore, it has implemented a dispute resolution process aimed at enforcing participants' adherence to WTO agreements. Ideally, all WTO member states have ‘a level playing field’ in terms of access and equal rights under the dispute settlement mechanism. Disputes should be resolved in a fair and impartial manner. However, the WTO’s DSS has been criticised for being undemocratic, non-transparent and accountable to none. 2

Der Einfluss Internationaler Organisationen reicht angesichts der Herausforderung, für globale Probleme Lösungen zu finden, mittlerweile so weit, dass sich die Frage nach den in ihnen vorhandenen Machtbegrenzungsmechanismen stellt. Doch wie kann die Macht Internationaler Organisationen kontrolliert werden, wenn das aus dem nationalen Verfassungsrecht bekannte Gewaltenteilungsprinzip nicht auf die internationale Ebene übertragen werden kann?   Die Arbeit analysiert die dazu innerhalb der Vereinten Nationen (UNO) und der Welthandelsorganisation (WTO) existierenden formalisierten Mechanismen anhand ihrer Gründungsverträge. Dabei werden drei Kategorien von Machtbegrenzungsmechanismen identifiziert: Kompetenzzuweisungen und -abgrenzungen, organinterne Mechanismen und schließlich Interaktion zwischen den Organen. Die in der Praxis bedeutsamsten Mechanismen stellen zum einen das Vetorecht im UN-Sicherheitsrat sowie der negative Konsens im Streitbeilegungsgremium der WTO dar, die zur Gruppe der organinternen Mechanismen gehören. Zum anderen besteht in der Kontrolle der Streitbeilegungs-Panel der WTO durch den Appellate Body eine wichtige Machtbegrenzung durch Interaktion.  Die Untersuchung dokumentiert das paradoxe Phänomen, dass die Mechanismen zur Begrenzung der Macht in vielen Fällen auch eine machtsteigernde Wirkung haben, indem sie die Effizienz, Akzeptanz und Legitimation der Organisation erhöhen. Die Verfasserin erklärt dies damit, dass das Augenmerk der Gründungsstaaten in der Entstehungsphase auf dem Funktionieren der Organisation als Gegengewicht zu ihren jeweiligen Mitgliedsstaaten lag. Dass Internationale Organisationen in der Zwischenzeit so stark an Einfluss gewonnen haben, dass ihre Macht nunmehr begrenzt werden sollte, ist eine neue Entwicklung, die jedoch in Zukunft deutlich an Bedeutung gewinnen wird. / In light of the challenge to find answers to global problems, the influence of international organizations nowadays goes so far that the question of existing checks and balances within these organizations arises. But how can power be controlled when the principle of separation of powers originating from national constitutional law cannot be transferred to the international stage? The purpose of this thesis is to analyze existing formalized internal mechanisms within the United Nations and the World Trade Organization on the basis of their founding treaties. The author identifies three categories of checks and balances: allowing and limiting competencies, mechanisms within the organs and finally interactions between the organs. In practice, the most important mechanisms of these organizations are on the one hand the power of veto within the UN Security Council and the negative consensus within the WTO dispute settlement body, which belong to the category of mechanisms within the organs. In addition, the control of the WTO dispute settlement panels by the Appellate Body is an important form of checks and balances through interaction. The analysis shows the paradoxical phenomenon, that checks and balances in many cases have the effect of increasing power by augmenting the efficiency, acceptance and legitimacy of the organization. The author explains this by reference to the intentions of the founding states during the developing phase to strengthen these organizations as a counterbalance to their respective member states. It is a new development that international organizations have now increased their influence so much that their power should be limited, but this will become significantly more important in the future.

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