Change EU investment policy – now is the time!
Public interest, social and environmental policies under threat
Over the past decades EU member states have signed over 1200 “Bilateral Investment treaties” (BITs) designed to protect their investors abroad. BITs allow multinational corporations the right to challenge governments’ social, environmental and economic regulations if they look like they might harm the profitability of their investment. The investment dispute settlement mechanisms that are typically an integral part of BITs allow foreign investors to by-pass domestic courts and sue sovereign states before international arbitration panels. BITs have cost taxpayers millions in legal expenses and compensations and are eroding the ability of governments to act in the best interests of their citizens. Bilateral investment treaties are a threat to public policy, democratic governance and the public interest and should alert anybody concerned with environmental and social policies.
Partners
-
Seattle to Brussels Network
Publication
Related news
-
The hidden human costs linked to global supply chains in ChinaPosted in category:News
Joshua RosenzweigPublished on: -
The power to extract value from the value chainPosted in category:Long read
Rodrigo FernandezPublished on: -
Powering injustice Published on:
Lydia de LeeuwPosted in category:Publication
Lydia de Leeuw
