Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx

The document is a formal letter from a broad coalition of international organizations opposing the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The authors argue that ISDS allows corporations to challenge non-discriminatory government policies in private tribunals, potentially forcing taxpayers to compensate companies for implementing public health, environmental, and labor regulations. They cite examples of ISDS being used to attack clean energy and toxic waste regulations, and argue that the domestic court systems of the US and EU are sufficient for handling investment disputes.

• ISDS allows foreign corporations to challenge government policies in private tribunals and demand compensation for the lack of a 'predictable regulatory environment,' even when policies apply equally to domestic and foreign investors.
• The use of ISDS has expanded to target public interest policies; over 500 cases have been filed against 95 governments, including attacks on clean energy, mining, land use, and health.
• Under U.S. free trade agreements, 16 pending claims totaling more than $14 billion relate to energy, environmental, public health, land use, transportation, and financial regulation rather than traditional trade issues.
• Corporations have used ISDS to challenge non-discriminatory measures, such as Egypt's minimum-wage increase, Peru's regulation of toxic waste and closure of a polluting smelter, and anti-smoking laws in Uruguay and Australia.
• ISDS is viewed as undermining democratic decision-making by bypassing domestic courts and creating a legal system available only to multinational corporations, without providing governments or individuals reciprocal rights to hold corporations accountable.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2013). Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTIP_Investment_16Dec2013.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx. 2013. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTIP_Investment_16Dec2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx |date=16 December 2013 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTIP_Investment_16Dec2013.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2013microsoft, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2013}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTIP_Investment_16Dec2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }