Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx

A statement from a coalition of international organizations addressed to the United States Trade Representative and the European Commission, opposing the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

• The signatory organizations oppose the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) because it allows foreign corporations to challenge government policies in private tribunals and seek compensation for the lack of a 'predictable regulatory environment,' even when policies apply equally to domestic and foreign investors.
• ISDS is criticized for forcing governments to use taxpayer funds to compensate corporations for policies related to public health, labor, and the environment. The document notes that over 500 cases have been filed against 95 governments, and specifically mentions that all 16 pending claims under U.S. free trade agreements, totaling more than $14 billion, relate to non-traditional trade issues such as energy, financial regulation, and transportation.
• The document cites specific examples of corporations using ISDS to challenge non-discriminatory measures, including EU investors attacking a minimum-wage increase in Egypt, a U.S. corporation challenging toxic waste regulation in Peru, and Philip Morris challenging anti-smoking laws in Australia and Uruguay.
• The authors argue that ISDS undermines democratic decision-making by creating a legal system available only to foreign investors and multinational corporations that bypasses domestic courts. They assert that the domestic court systems and property rights protections in the United States and the EU are sufficient to handle investment disputes, suggesting a state-to-state dispute settlement system as a viable alternative.

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} }