(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
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54<br />
implicates that <strong>the</strong> dictum <strong>of</strong> national treatment, which is so popular among transnational<br />
companies, is over stretched. Foreign market participants - by means <strong>of</strong> this<br />
possibility <strong>of</strong> taking legal action at international courts - have opened a scope <strong>of</strong> action<br />
for <strong>the</strong>mselves, which cannot be accessed by domestic market participants.<br />
The latter depends on national legislation, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is also <strong>the</strong> fact that international<br />
trade legislation breaks national law: Article 1105 <strong>of</strong> NAFTA dem<strong>and</strong>s a<br />
“minimum treatment <strong>of</strong> foreign investors in accordance with international law.” 113<br />
Transnational corporations are <strong>the</strong>refore not only out <strong>of</strong> control, but <strong>the</strong>y have a lot<br />
more power to control <strong>and</strong> enforce than domestic companies. Mexico’s NAFTA experience<br />
<strong>and</strong> also <strong>the</strong> experiences <strong>of</strong> regional <strong>and</strong> local governments in <strong>the</strong> U.S. <strong>and</strong><br />
Canada are a perfect example <strong>of</strong> this.<br />
If an investor regards legislation, local politics or mechanisms as a breach <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
NAFTA treaty, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> issue can be brought up with <strong>the</strong> UN Commission for International<br />
Trade Law (UNCITRAL 114 ) or with <strong>the</strong> International Center for <strong>the</strong> Settlement <strong>of</strong><br />
Investment Disputes, (ICSID 115 ), an arbitration mechanism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> World Bank. These<br />
cases are <strong>the</strong>n deliberated by <strong>the</strong> respective juries, without <strong>the</strong> possibility to appeal.<br />
For many years it was a common practice that while <strong>the</strong>se committees met, no information<br />
at all was passed on to <strong>the</strong> public (not even information on <strong>the</strong> counterparts<br />
or <strong>the</strong> fact that a dispute existed). Since <strong>the</strong>n under <strong>the</strong> strong pressure from civil<br />
society <strong>the</strong> three NAFTA states, Mexico, Canada <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> U.S.A., have finally agreed<br />
to publish <strong>the</strong> cases brought to <strong>the</strong> ICSID court. The cases that are disputed, e.g.,<br />
at <strong>the</strong> International Court <strong>of</strong> Arbitration 116 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> International Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce<br />
(ICC) in Paris continue to lack transparency. 117<br />
The most important international institutions for <strong>the</strong> settlement <strong>of</strong> disputes,<br />
alongside <strong>the</strong> already mentioned ICSID <strong>and</strong> UNCITRAL, are <strong>the</strong> International Chamber<br />
<strong>of</strong> Commerce (ICC) in Paris <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> London Court <strong>of</strong> International Arbitration<br />
(LCIA): The American Arbitration Association (AAA), <strong>the</strong> Arbitration Institute <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
113<br />
For <strong>the</strong> relationship between national <strong>and</strong> international trade legislation see, e.g.: Stoll, Peter-Tobias: Globalisierung<br />
und Legitimation, Göttingen, May 19, 2003, p. 4., http://www.cege.wiso.uni-goettingen.de/Veranstaltungen/<br />
antrittsvorlstoll.pdf.<br />
114<br />
http://www.uncitral.org.<br />
115<br />
http://www.worldbank.org/icsid.<br />
116<br />
http://www.iccwbo.org/court/english/intro_court/introduction.asp.<br />
117<br />
See Peterson, Luke Eric: Research Note: Emerging Bilateral Investment Treaty Arbitration <strong>and</strong> Sustainable<br />
Development, Invest-SD News Bulletin, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), August 2003,