Issue No. 600 (1-15 September 2015)
Concerns over imbalanced investment accords grow

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Terminate BITs and FTAs that conflict with human rights
Pointing to adverse human rights impacts of international investment agreements, a UN expert has called on states to revise or terminate such accords when they contravene rights obligations.
by Kanaga Raja

South demands credible, developmental outcomes at Nairobi
Developing countries have opposed moves to push through an outcome at the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference that is light on development-friendly content.
by D. Ravi Kanth

US receives major setback on its domestic support non-paper
A US proposal on dealing with “certain forms” of domestic farm support has met with a less-than-receptive response from other WTO member states, reports D. Ravi Kanth.

Uruguay abandons TiSA
Uruguay has become the first country to pull out of plurilateral negotiations on a controversial accord to open up services markets.
by Roberto Bissio

UN adopts landmark resolution on principles for sovereign debt restructuring
The UN General Assembly has adopted a set of principles to guide sovereign debt restructuring, taking what has been welcomed as an important step towards plugging a major gap in the international financial system.
by Bhumika Muchhala

Analysis: International trade, investment accords, increasing controversies
International investment treaties have provoked growing apprehension over their broad scope and the far-reaching rights they confer on foreign investors. Andrew Cornford reviews two recent initiatives aimed at addressing these concerns.