Andrew D. Mitchell - Böcker

The past two decades have seen a significant proliferation of trade and investment treaties around the world. States are increasingly negotiating agreements that regulate both trade and investment, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. The number of investor-state dispute settlement cases is rapidly accumulating each year, yet states' enthusiasm for investor-state arbitration has become more qualified as concern has intensified that the system can be abused by foreign investors. Good faith is therefore becoming increasingly important as a principle, particularly in the investment context, due to disputes about investor conduct such as corporate restructuring in order to gain the protection of a particular investment treaty regarding an existing or foreseeable dispute, and States' responses to public policy concerns through attempts to modify or terminate investment treaties in the face of ongoing or expected claims. Tribunals adjudicating investment disputes have used the principle of good faith in a haphazard and uncoordinated manner, causing serious problems of uncertainty and inconsistency. In response to these developments, this book contains the first comprehensive and integrated analysis of the treatment of good faith in international investment law, noting the broader implications of good faith in public international law and international trade law.

Principles play a crucial role in any dispute settlement system, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) is no exception. However, WTO Panels and the Appellate Body have been too timid in using principles, sometimes avoiding their use when appropriate and at other times using them without fully acknowledging that they are doing so. Perhaps more worryingly, these bodies often fail to delve deeply enough into principles. They tend to overlook key questions such as the legal basis for using a given principle, whether the principle is being used in an interpretative manner or as applicable law and the meaning of the principle in public international law. This book establishes a framework for addressing these questions. The use of such a framework should allay fears and misconceptions about the use of principles and ensure that they are used in a justifiable manner, improving the quality of dispute settlement in the WTO.

Tobacco use represents a critical global health challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco kills nearly 6 million people a year, with the toll expected to rise to 8 million annually over the next two decades. This detailed book, written by health and legal experts from institutions around the globe, examines legal issues arising from Australia's world-first introduction of mandatory plain packaging of tobacco products. The book offers an in-depth exploration of relevant domestic and international legal questions in fields such as intellectual property, constitutional law, health, trade and investment. The authors' analysis sheds light on broader questions relating to the capacity of governments to regulate tobacco products and the tobacco industry, and to regulate in the interests of public health more generally. The answers to these questions are of vital interest not only to Australia but also to the international community, with states' regulatory sovereignty increasingly being challenged in local and international courts and tribunals. This timely study is designed to assist international organizations, NGOs, policymakers, and scholars in law, medicine and health-related areas. Health professionals and advisors will also find much of interest here. Contributors: A. Alemanno, G. Ayres, E. Bonadio, J. Bosland, S. Chapman, M. Davison, S. Evans, T.A. Faunce, B. Freeman, K. Lannan, J. Liberman, B. McGrady, A.D. Mitchell, M. Scollo, T. Voon

Principles play a crucial role in any dispute settlement system, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) is no exception. However, WTO Panels and the Appellate Body have been too timid in using principles, sometimes avoiding their use when appropriate and at other times using them without fully acknowledging that they are doing so. Perhaps more worryingly, these bodies often fail to delve deeply enough into principles. They tend to overlook key questions such as the legal basis for using a given principle, whether the principle is being used in an interpretative manner or as applicable law and the meaning of the principle in public international law. This book establishes a framework for addressing these questions. The use of such a framework should allay fears and misconceptions about the use of principles and ensure that they are used in a justifiable manner, improving the quality of dispute settlement in the WTO.

Tobacco use represents a critical global health challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco kills nearly 6 million people a year, with the toll expected to rise to 8 million annually over the next two decades. Written by health and legal experts from institutions around the globe, The Global Tobacco Epidemic and the Law examines the key areas of domestic and international law affecting the regulation of tobacco.The book offers a wide-ranging and in-depth exploration of relevant legal questions, including a focus on the activities of the World Health Organization and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as well as an extensive evaluation of relevant developments in international trade law and international investment law. The authors' expert analysis also sheds light on broader questions relating to the capacity of governments to regulate tobacco products and the tobacco industry, as reflected in detailed case studies of tobacco control in various countries and regions around the world. The answers to these questions are of vital interest to the international community, with states' regulatory sovereignty regarding tobacco increasingly being challenged in local and international courts and tribunals.Combining unique insight with rigorous analysis, this book will facilitate a more sophisticated understanding of the legal issues concerning tobacco control and will be of interest to lawyers, diplomats, policymakers and NGOs, as well being a valuable resource for scholars of law, public policy and health.Contributors: N. Boister, O.A. Cabrera, J. Carballo, R. Cunningham, M. Davison, K. DeLand, L. Gruszczynski, P. Henning, L. Hsu, J. Liberman, G. Lien, T-y. Lin, C-f. Lo, A. Mitchell, L. Shmatenko, D. Singh, J. Strawbridge, T. Tucker, T. Voon, H. Wipfli, C-F. Wu, A. Yadav

Non-discrimination requirements, such as most-favored nation and national treatment obligations, are central to both international trade law and international investment law. Significant inconsistencies between the fields are evident, however, in the way adjudicators have treated key elements of the test for discrimination. This book surveys and criticizes the manner in which tribunals have employed the concept of regulatory purpose in determining whether discrimination has occurred. The authors of this book propose a new definition of regulatory purpose that assists in framing the test for unlawful discrimination in both fields of law. It provides a systematic and structured analysis of how regulatory purpose should - and should not - be used in applying non-discrimination norms. Throughout, the book compares and contrasts trade and investment law, drawing out several parallels and suggesting areas in which one legal system might answer or shed light on questions arising in the other.With its comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of trade and investment jurisprudence, this book will appeal to practitioners and academics in the fields of trade and investment law. Lawyers and adjudicators will find it a useful source of ideas and proposals to inform their arguments and decisions. For government officials, it will be informative when considering the optimal way to structure measures that may affect the interests of foreign traders or investors. It will also provide a useful survey of the literature for academics, as well as a springboard for further comparison of international trade and investment law.

Regulatory Autonomy in International Economic Law provides the first extensive legal analysis of Australia's trade and investment treaties in the context of their impact on national regulatory autonomy. This thought-provoking study offers compelling lessons for not only Australia but also countries around the globe in relation to pressing current problems, including the uncertain future of the World Trade Organization and widespread concerns about the legitimacy of investor-State dispute settlement. Through a critical exploration of evolving patterns of treaty practice, the authors address the complex relationship between international economic law and a State's regulatory autonomy in the key areas of intellectual property, services, and investment. This insightful investigation highlights problems of inconsistency across treaties, limited transparency and consultation in the negotiation of treaties, and increasing restrictions on policy space in intellectual property protection. These factors are all crucial in preserving a country's ability to pursue policy objectives such as protecting public health and the environment while capturing the benefits of international trade and foreign investment. This discerning book will prove instrumental to scholars and practitioners in the fields of international trade law, international investment law, public international law, and intellectual property. It will also appeal to government agencies and international organisations working in these areas or in matters of public health or the environment.