NGO's send letter to Minister Kaag to call for termination of BIT with Burkina Faso
Today, Both ENDS sent a letter, signed by various civil society organisations, to Sigrid Kaag (Dutch Minister of Aid & Trade) reminding her of an important deadline and to urge her to terminate the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that exists between the Netherlands and Burkina Faso. The treaty, which can be very harmful for a poor country such as Burkina Faso, will automatically be renewed for the next 15 years if it is not terminated before July 1st this year.
ISDS 'dead and buried'
The last 15 years it was not possible to terminate the treaty, which contains the highly controversial Investor-to-State-Dispute-Settlement mechanism (ISDS). Last year, the former minister publicly declared ISDS 'dead and buried', so now would be the moment to act.
Sunset-clause
Missing the deadline of 1 July 2018 will mean that the treaty cannot be terminated during the next fifteen years. An additional fifteen year 'sunset-clause' in the current BIT would mean that even when the treaty is terminated, investments made before the termination, still fall under the rules of the treaty. This way, investors would have the possibility to lodge ISDS charges against Burkina Faso and the Netherlands until 31 December 2049.
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Dossier
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Dossier
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News / 14 September 2017
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Publication / 12 November 2020
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Dossier
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Letter / 10 February 2020
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News / 21 January 2019
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Today an alliance of more than 150 organisations, trade unions and social movements in countries across Europe is launching a joint programme against unfair trade and investment agreements, and especially against the controversial Investor-to-State-Dispute-Settlement (ISDS) mechanism. Under ISDS, investors can bring complaints against states whose social and environmental legislation pose a threat to their profits.
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Publication / 31 December 2020
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News / 11 October 2019
Rights for people, rules for corporations: the case of Paraguay
Indigenous communities in Paraguay saw their attempts to regain their ancestral lands thwarted by German investors. This is the level of impact that investment treaties can have on social, environmental and economic development and rights. Why? Because of the ‘Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement’ (ISDS) clauses that are included in many such treaties.
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News / 11 October 2019
Rights for people, rules for corporations: the case of Indonesia
In Indonesia, US-based mining companies succeeded to roll back new laws that were meant to boost the country’s economic development and protect its forests. This is the level of impact that investment treaties can have on social, environmental and economic development and rights. Why? Because of the ‘Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement’ (ISDS) clauses that are included in many such treaties.
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News / 28 January 2020
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Event / 20 June 2017
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News / 26 January 2017
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External link / 31 May 2018
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Blog / 28 September 2018
Why Tanzania should send the Dutch government a letter in the next two days.
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