Repenser les lois nationales sur l’investissement

The document examines the historical shift of national investment laws from domestic development tools in the 1950s-70s to instruments for integrating international protection standards between 1980 and 2010. It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws—ranging from admission and incentives to dispute resolution and monitoring—and argues that there is no one-size-fits-all model. Instead, it proposes a multi-step framework for policymakers to align the structure and content of investment laws with specific national policy goals and sustainable development objectives.

• National investment laws have evolved through three distinct phases: early laws in developing countries (1950s-1970s) focused on domestic policy and colonial legal cohesion; a period from 1980 to 2010 where laws were redesigned to integrate international protection standards and attract investment; and a post-2000 era of increasing concern over laws that mirror old-generation investment treaties, leading to a diversification of practices.
• An analysis of 70 investment laws reveals seven primary functions: governing the admission and approval of foreign investments (at least 60% of laws), granting and managing investment incentives (at least 80%), facilitating investments, guaranteeing legal protection (approximately 70%), establishing investor-state dispute settlement systems (nearly 70%), specifying investor obligations, and monitoring foreign investments.
• Legal protections in national laws are less comprehensive than those in international treaties; for example, fewer than 10% of the examined national laws include provisions regarding fair and equitable treatment.
• The report argues against a 'ready-made' model for investment laws, suggesting instead a three-step conceptual approach for policymakers: defining the policy objectives (such as sustainable development), identifying the functions the law must fulfill, and then determining the appropriate structure and content.
• Specific functions of investment laws carry distinct risks: automatic admission approvals can strain limited bureaucratic capacity; tax incentives may deplete public funds or be undermined by the OECD global minimum tax; and certain legal protections (like stabilization clauses) can create legal risks similar to those found in old-generation investment treaties.

APA

Bonnitcha, J., Nikiéma, S. H., & John, T. S. (2023). Repenser les lois nationales sur l’investissement. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/rethinking-national-investment-laws-summary-fr.pdf

Chicago

Bonnitcha, Jonathan, Suzy H. Nikiéma, and Taylor St John. Repenser les lois nationales sur l’investissement. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/rethinking-national-investment-laws-summary-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bonnitcha |first1=Jonathan |last2=Nikiéma |first2=Suzy H. |last3=John |first3=Taylor St |title=Repenser les lois nationales sur l’investissement |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/rethinking-national-investment-laws-summary-fr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bonnitcha2023repenser, author = {Bonnitcha, Jonathan and Nikiéma, Suzy H. and John, Taylor St}, title = {{Repenser les lois nationales sur l’investissement}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-07/rethinking-national-investment-laws-summary-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }