1. European Economic and Social Committee   Hearing in the framework of the EESC opinion on Investment Protection and ISDS in EU Trade and Investment Agreements Brussels, 3 February 2015
James X. Zhan
Director, Investment and Enterprise
Team Leader of the UN World Investment Report
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
World Investment Report 2009

2. FDI inward and outward stock of the EU has grown rapidly over the past two decades
FDI stock of the EU (excluding intra-EU), (Billions of US dollars)
Source: UNCTAD

3. There is strong investment relationship between the EU and the United States
United States FDI stock in the EU and the EU FDI stock in the US,
(Billions of dollars)
Source: UNCTAD

4. The past years brought an increasing dichotomy in investment treaty making: disengaging and “up-scaling”
In 2013, 44 new IIAs were signed, bringing the total number of IIAs to 3,236
Trends in IIAs signed,
Source: UNCTAD, IIA database.

5. Trends in known ISDS cases, 1987–2013
In 2013, 56 new ISDS cases were filed – the second largest number of known cases in a single year
This brought the total number of known ISDS cases to 568
Trends in known ISDS cases, 1987–2013
Source: UNCTAD, ISDS database.

6. Cases brought against the US and EU Member States
The US and EU Member States play a role as respondent States and home States of claimant investors
EU MS were respondents in 117 cases and the US in 16 cases.
Claimants from EU MS have initiated 300 cases and claimants from the US have filed 127 disputes. Taken together, they account for three quarters of the known cases.
Cases brought against the US and EU Member States
Claimants' home States
Source: UNCTAD, ISDS database.

7. UNCTAD has defined five options for reforming the ISDS system
ISDS is a system of application of the law; improvements to the ISDS system should go hand in hand with progressive development of substantive int’l investment law
Source: UNCTAD, WIR 2014.

8. The Investment Policy Hub:
THANK YOU!
The Investment Policy Hub:
UNCTAD websites:
@unctadwif