Open Letter From Lawyers, Academics Objects To Investor-State In TPP

摘要

A diverse group of more than 100 lawyers, academics and former government officials has signed an open letter urging the nine governments involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations to forgo including an investor-state provision as part of a final deal because it undermines the fair resolution of legal disputes. TPP negotiators should "exclude the Investor-State system for all countries," the letter argued. It was slated to be delivered to negotiators at the start of the 12th round of TPP talks, which kicked on May 8 in Dallas, Texas. According to the letter, the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions in TPP "threatens to undermine the justice systems in our various countries and fundamentally shift the balance of power between investors, states and other affected parties in a manner that undermines fair resolution of legal disputes."