Acuerdo internacional modelo del IISD sobre inversión para el desarrollo sostenible

The IISD proposes a new model for international investment agreements (IIAs) to replace outdated 20th-century frameworks. The model introduces mandatory investor obligations regarding environmental and social impact assessments, anti-corruption, and human rights, while preserving the right of host states to regulate for the public interest. It also proposes a systemic overhaul of dispute resolution, moving from ad hoc arbitration to a permanent panel and appellate system similar to the WTO.

• The current model of international investment agreements (IIAs) is outdated, having been developed in the 1950s and 60s with a singular focus on the "protección de capital e inversiones extranjeros".
• The IISD model defines 'investment' strictly to exclude portfolio investments and requires a "presencia física significativa" in the host state to prevent the use of 'shell companies' to gain treaty protections.
• The agreement establishes that non-discriminatory regulatory measures taken to protect legitimate public welfare objectives, such as public health, safety, and the environment, do not constitute indirect expropriation.
• Investors are mandated to conduct environmental and social impact assessments before establishing an investment, applying the "principio de precaución" as defined in the 1992 Rio Declaration.
• The model imposes mandatory anti-corruption obligations on investors, prohibiting the offering or giving of undue advantages to public officials, and allows for the revocation of investor rights if these rules are violated.
• Investors are required to maintain environmental management systems, with companies of a certain size (proposed at 250 or 500 employees) or those in high-risk industrial sectors required to hold ISO 14001 certification or an equivalent standard.
• The agreement establishes that investors are subject to civil liability actions in the courts of their home state for decisions related to the investment that cause significant damage, personal injury, or death in the host state.
• Host states are prohibited from lowering or derogating national labor, public health, safety, or environmental standards to attract or retain foreign investment.
• The model proposes a radical shift in dispute resolution by creating a permanent Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) consisting of a Council of Parties, a panel division with 35 permanent panelists, and an appellate division.
• To prevent the 'internationalization' of simple contract disputes, the agreement requires investors to exhaust local remedies in the host state before initiating international arbitration.
• The agreement mandates transparency in arbitration, requiring that notices of intent, pleadings, evidence, and final decisions be made public via the internet, and allowing for amicus curiae submissions.
• The model includes a 'balance of payments' exception, allowing states to take necessary measures to mitigate such emergencies without violating the agreement.

APA

Mann, H., von Moltke, K., Peterson, L. E., & Cosbey, A. (2005). Acuerdo internacional modelo del IISD sobre inversión para el desarrollo sostenible. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/investment_model_int_handbook_es.pdf

Chicago

Mann, Howard, Konrad von Moltke, Luke Eric Peterson, and Aaron Cosbey. Acuerdo internacional modelo del IISD sobre inversión para el desarrollo sostenible. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2005. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/investment_model_int_handbook_es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mann |first1=Howard |last2=von Moltke |first2=Konrad |last3=Peterson |first3=Luke Eric |last4=Cosbey |first4=Aaron |title=Acuerdo internacional modelo del IISD sobre inversión para el desarrollo sostenible |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2005 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/investment_model_int_handbook_es.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mann2005acuerdo, author = {Mann, Howard and von Moltke, Konrad and Peterson, Luke Eric and Cosbey, Aaron}, title = {{Acuerdo internacional modelo del IISD sobre inversión para el desarrollo sostenible}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2005}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/investment_model_int_handbook_es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }