Pourquoi faut-il réformer les traités d’investissement et le règlement des différends entre investisseurs et États ?

The document examines the role of legal frameworks in governing foreign direct investment (FDI) and critiques traditional investment treaties and the ISDS system. It argues that these frameworks often prioritize investor protections over public interests, creating a 'regulatory chill' and imposing high financial burdens on states, particularly in the context of the energy transition. The guide proposes a shift toward treaties focused on cooperation and sustainable development, while detailing various national, bilateral, and multilateral reform strategies.

• Foreign direct investment (FDI) does not automatically lead to sustainable development; its impact depends on the quality of the investment and the legal frameworks in place. While FDI can provide infrastructure and jobs, it can also lead to environmental degradation, labor exploitation, and tax evasion.
• Traditional investment treaties have largely failed to attract more FDI and instead have exposed states to significant legal and financial risks. These treaties often prioritize investor rights over environmental and social protections, which can hinder the energy transition by protecting fossil fuel investments.
• The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism is criticized for being costly, unpredictable, and creating a 'regulatory chill' where states avoid necessary public interest reforms to avoid expensive arbitration.
• ISDS awards are increasing in scale and can represent a significant percentage of a country's GDP. Total known awards in ISDS cases amount to nearly 120 billion USD, a sum exceeding the entire GDP of over 100 countries, including Kenya and Ecuador.
• The ISDS system has fostered a specialized 'arbitration industry' consisting of lawyers, arbitrators, and third-party funders who benefit financially regardless of the case outcome and often oppose reform.
• Current reform efforts include renegotiating treaties, adopting new models focused on cooperation (such as those used by Brazil and India), introducing sector-specific exclusions, or unilaterally terminating treaties.

APA

Ostřanský, J., Sarmiento, F., & Nikiema, S. (2025). Pourquoi faut-il réformer les traités d’investissement et le règlement des différends entre investisseurs et États ? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-04/investment-treaty-and-isds-reform-questions-answers-fr.pdf

Chicago

Ostřanský, Josef, Florencia Sarmiento, and Suzy Nikiema. Pourquoi faut-il réformer les traités d’investissement et le règlement des différends entre investisseurs et États ? International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-04/investment-treaty-and-isds-reform-questions-answers-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{ostansk2025pourquoi, author = {Ostřanský, Josef and Sarmiento, Florencia and Nikiema, Suzy}, title = {{Pourquoi faut-il réformer les traités d’investissement et le règlement des différends entre investisseurs et États ?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-04/investment-treaty-and-isds-reform-questions-answers-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }