Ineresting article in The Economist here, on the growing demand for transparency with respect to international investment arbitration. It notes that Canada and the US are pushing strongly for more openness with regard to these proceedings, but that many - in Europe in particular - are very reluctant to follow suit:
However, sticklers for secrecy may not be able to blind the public with legal science for much longer. Luke Eric Peterson, editor of the Investment Arbitration Reporter, a trade publication, expects a “pitched battle” to break out soon between backers and opponents of transparency. In part this will reflect pressure on governments from citizens and NGOs who want to know more. For example, some Germans, at least, want details of the €1 billion ($1.3 billion) arbitration claim that Vattenfall, a Swedish power firm, has brought against their government under the Energy Charter Treaty.
Hat tip to Peter Spiro over at Opinio Juris, who also makes an interesting point about the institutional competitiveness of investment arbitration:
The fact that international arbitration is institutionally competitive adds an element here not present where tribunals have a decisionmaking monopoly (as in the WTO). I’m not sure which way that cuts, though. Over the long run, arbitration platforms that are open and allow broad participation will enjoy greater legitimacy; in the short, corporate and state arbitral litigants might just prefer to keep things quiet.
However, sticklers for secrecy may not be able to blind the public with legal science for much longer. Luke Eric Peterson, editor of the Investment Arbitration Reporter, a trade publication, expects a “pitched battle” to break out soon between backers and opponents of transparency. In part this will reflect pressure on governments from citizens and NGOs who want to know more. For example, some Germans, at least, want details of the €1 billion ($1.3 billion) arbitration claim that Vattenfall, a Swedish power firm, has brought against their government under the Energy Charter Treaty.
Hat tip to Peter Spiro over at Opinio Juris, who also makes an interesting point about the institutional competitiveness of investment arbitration:
The fact that international arbitration is institutionally competitive adds an element here not present where tribunals have a decisionmaking monopoly (as in the WTO). I’m not sure which way that cuts, though. Over the long run, arbitration platforms that are open and allow broad participation will enjoy greater legitimacy; in the short, corporate and state arbitral litigants might just prefer to keep things quiet.
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