Reflecting on a Year Online: Lessons from a survey of international investment negotiators

The report examines the shift from in-person to virtual negotiations within the UNCITRAL Working Group III on ISDS reform and the WTO Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on investment facilitation. While virtual formats reduce costs and increase the participation of capital-based and junior officials, they significantly hinder informal communication, coalition building, and the ability of negotiators to focus due to competing day-to-day work priorities. The authors recommend a hybrid approach for future negotiations, using virtual tools for technical preparatory phases and in-person meetings for substantive compromise-seeking.

• Virtual negotiations lower financial and logistical barriers, leading to increased participation, particularly from officials based in national capitals and those from countries without resident missions in Geneva.
• The absence of informal 'margins'—such as coffee breaks and shared meals—makes it significantly harder for negotiators to identify like-minded allies, build trust, and coordinate positions compared to in-person settings.
• Negotiators in virtual settings struggle to maintain focus because they are often expected to continue their regular day-to-day office work while attending sessions.
• Virtual formats have increased the likelihood of junior officials and those from various government ministries providing input and speaking during negotiations.
• The role of the WTO Secretariat was perceived as more active in virtual negotiations due to the increased complexity of organizing and directing discussions online.
• Negotiators perceive a 'two-tier' risk in hybrid models where some governments are present in person while others are virtual, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities.
• There is a strong preference for hybrid models, where virtual tools are used for technical, preparatory, or informational phases, while in-person meetings are reserved for advanced stages requiring compromise on controversial issues.

APA

Williams, Z., & John, T. S. (2021). Reflecting on a Year Online: Lessons from a survey of international investment negotiators. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-07/year-online-international-investment-negotiators.pdf

Chicago

Williams, Zoe, and Taylor St John. Reflecting on a Year Online: Lessons from a survey of international investment negotiators. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-07/year-online-international-investment-negotiators.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Williams |first1=Zoe |last2=John |first2=Taylor St |title=Reflecting on a Year Online: Lessons from a survey of international investment negotiators |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-07/year-online-international-investment-negotiators.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{williams2021reflecting, author = {Williams, Zoe and John, Taylor St}, title = {{Reflecting on a Year Online: Lessons from a survey of international investment negotiators}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-07/year-online-international-investment-negotiators.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }