|
|
Protection of Investments in Gas Sector: The Perspectives of Legal Relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation
Lyapina, Elmira ; Šturma, Pavel (advisor) ; Balaš, Vladimír (referee) ; Stehlík, Václav (referee)
The absence of a relevant legal basis between huge commercial partners such as the EU as a single entity and the Russian Federation promoted the emergence of a legal vacuum. The long term cooperation between Russia and the EU has only one bilateral agreement - the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation signed in 1994, which is however obsolete, and does not meet the contemporary needs. The adequate legal basis for Russia-EU cooperation in the gas sector is still missing. The protection of investments in the gas sector is being realized by bilateral agreements between Russia and EU member states, soft law and general international agreements, without any specifications for those two partners. The only international instrument covering the energy relations of these two partners - Energy Charter Treaty cannot be considered as a reliable mechanism, as Russia withdrew from it more than 8 years ago. The reasons of the withdrawal and the Yukos case as an illustrative example are discussed in this paper. In order to avoid uncertainty in such strategic area as gas investment relations and unpredictable decisions between the states represented by the commercial entities, there is a need to design a substantive legal basis, and a need to consider on the adequate dispute resolution body. In this thesis, key...
|
|
|
Investment Policy of the European Union - protection of foreign direct investment
Štamberk, David ; Tomášek, Michal (advisor) ; Balaš, Vladimír (referee) ; Křepelka, Filip (referee)
Investment Policy of the European Union - protection of foreign direct investment Abstract One of the changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty is the explicit inclusion of foreign direct investment and its protection in the common commercial policy of the European Union. This is one of the areas of exclusive competence of the EU. The European Union has subsequently stated negotiating bilateral agreements governing, inter alia, investment issues. However, it has not been spared from controversy and negative publicity that has been accompanying especially the TTIP and the CETA. This work aims to analyse the investment policy of the EU and mutual interaction of its institutions with the Member States and third parties. After general introduction to the topic of international investment law and EU law (chapters II. and III.), it is devoted to the issue of protection of foreign investment in the internal market. Its regime is then compared with the BIT regime (chapter IV.). Attention is then focussed towards the EU's external relations in the field of investment protection. Its competence is subjected to further analysis (chapter V.) and current results of efforts of the Commission and the EU as such are also discussed (chapter VI.). It is so in the light of possible impacts of foreign investment in terms of...
|
|
|
International Investment Agreements and European Union Law
Fecák, Tomáš ; Šturma, Pavel (advisor) ; Balaš, Vladimír (referee) ; Švarc, Zbyněk (referee)
The relationship between international investment agreements and EU law has attracted increased attention in past few years. The aim of this thesis is to bring a detailed analysis of various aspects of this complicated relationship. In attainment of this aim it proceeds in the following steps. After a short introduction (Chapter I.), Chapter II. briefly overviews typical content of bilateral investment treaties, following with a more detailed analysis of relevant EU law rules concerning foreign investment and subsequent comparison of both sets of rules. Chapter III. deals with investment agreements to be concluded by the EU, in particular with questions of external competence for foreign investment, responsibility for breaches of investment agreements concluded by the EU and the future shape of EU investment policy. The status of existing bilateral investment treaties concluded between EU member states and third countries is analyzed in Chapter IV. Chapter V. tackles various issues related to investment treaties concluded between member states (so called intra-EU BITs).
|
|
|
Legal Framework of Protection of Foreign Direct Investment under Bilateral Investment Treaties and European Law
Moškvan, Dominik ; Svoboda, Pavel (advisor) ; Pítrová, Lenka (referee)
This thesis aims to analyse alleged incompatibility of bilateral investment treaties signed between the Member States of the European Union with the European Union law and its impact on the investment environment of the Union. Bilateral investment treaties are found to be incompatible with EU law. First, it is the provision allowing for dispute settlement in the form of arbitration, thereby excluding the case from EU judicial review and infringing the primacy and autonomy of EU law. Second, it is the preferential treatment of investors given only to an investor from a state with a concluded BIT conflicts the non-discrimination principle. Preferential treatment given in BITs should be either unilaterally extended, or dismissed for all investors. Unless rescinded, BITs remain valid. Investment environment of the European Union might be exposed to an increased risk of legal uncertainty. This is due to the existence of dichotomy of investment arbitration and national courts, which has not allowed for a binding interpretation of EU law since arbitration courts are not considered to be a court of a Member States with respect to the meaning of Article 267 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Concurrence of the two parallel systems of dispute resolution does not allow for a prompt...
|
|
|
The Interaction between Bilateral Investment Treaties and EU Law
Hrabčáková, Barbora ; Balaš, Vladimír (advisor) ; Šturma, Pavel (referee)
Interaction between Bilateral Investment Treaties and EU law A major change in the regulation of foreign investments is underway in the European Union involving a transfer of (certain) competences within the field from Member States to the EU, all being a part of a wider initiative with the ultimate goal of establishing a common European investment policy, which, it is argued, might eventually replace the network of bilateral investment treaties concluded between Member States and third countries. Starting with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU is exclusively competent to regulate extra-EU foreign direct investments since the term "foreign direct investment" was introduced in Article 207 (1) TFEU dealing with the common commercial policy, in which, in accordance with Article 3 (1) (e) TFEU, the EU shall have exclusive competence. Even though the wording is seemingly simple, certain issues, especially concerning the scope of the new EU competence, have been raised and are still not settled. First, the issue of the scope of forms of foreign investments which are to be covered by the EU regulation is unclear. It has been argued that the exclusive competence extends only over direct investments, while other forms, if they are to be covered, would fall under shared competence. This would result...
|
|
|
Agreements on the protection of investments between the EU and China
Zamrazil, Jakub ; Balaš, Vladimír (advisor) ; Šturma, Pavel (referee)
The purpose of my thesis is to analyse Bilateral Investment Treaties between the EU and China. The question that passes through the entire work is whether there is indeed a homogeneous relationship in FDI between the EU and China as a whole, or whether the practice is rather different relationship with the EU members with some common and different elements. I have chosen the theme of this thesis because I am interested in investment relations, and China is a very attractive destination for the investment, that has from a European point of view its specific features. The thesis is composed of six chapters. In the chapter one I decided to take historical approach by researching the needs and motivations that inspired and influenced the emergence of the BIT program between the EU and China. From a historical approach to the development of FDI in China is obvious that the policy of FDI in China follows the national interests of China. From the beginning FDI was an unwanted tool for China that did not correspond with national policy, however it provided the necessary capital. Over time, China has changed its approach from receiving investment indiscriminately into the consistent direction of flow of FDI into desired sectors. The second chapter provides an analytical view of the current legal framework...
|
guest ::
