The Energy Charter Treaty (TEC), to which Portugal and the European Union are contracting parties, is an international agreement concluded in 1994 with the aim of creating a multilateral framework for cooperation in the energy sector. It includes extraordinary legal protections for foreign investors and their investments in this sector, as well as an Investor-State Dispute Resolution (ISDS) mechanism, through which a foreign investor can invoke an international arbitration procedure against the Investment host state.
At this conference, panelists will present the TCE in general terms, as well as criticism from academia and civil society regarding the protections given by the TCE to investors and investments in oil, natural gas and coal. These protections thwart the achievement of the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement to that convention, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the measures taken by various governments around the world to reduce emissions. of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Speakers will critically evaluate contracting parties' proposals to “modernize” the treaty through an amendment. They will also discuss alternatives to these proposals, such as the withdrawal (isolated or coordinated) of some parts of the treaty, the conclusion of a treaty modification agreement between some parties and the termination of the treaty.
- Moderation: Anja Bothe;
- Speakers: Martin Dietrich Brauch and Ana Moreno
- Date: September 30 (Thursday) at 19:00;
- Conference via Zoom: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/81512059580?pwd=L0IwL1hDSXhWOTZJQTRQb2hqREROZz09