Handbook

International investment law is a fast-growing area of international law and dispute settlement and of increasing importance. It is based on bilateral, multilateral and regional agreements which lay down both substantive and procedural rules. These rules are designed to protect foreign investors against illegal government conduct, but they have also come under increased scrutiny over whether they strike an adequate balance to protect the interests of other stakeholders, such as governments and citizens. Over the last years, international investment law as attracted a number of serious critiques by states and non-governmental organizations, with a reform process currently under way. The subject will analyse the ever-increasing jurisprudence of arbitral tribunals and place these decisions in the wider context of international law. It will introduce students to both the substantive and procedural rules as well as the institutional foundations of international investment law. It furthermore shines a light on the impact of international investment law on domestic decision-making process. Finally, the subject will also expose students to the connections with other regimes of international law such as international trade law.