The 3rd Annual EFILA Conference on Parallel States’
Obligations in Investor-State Arbitration took place in London on 5 February 2018 addressing several topical issues
in international investment law and investment arbitration. Expert panels
discussed the participation of non-disputing parties in arbitral proceedings,
regulatory issues in international investment law – the focus being especially
on the questions of state liability and the ongoing cases relating to renewable
energy – as well as human rights and environmental aspects in international
investment law. The keynote speech delivered by Honorable Charles N. Brower
discussed the Investment Court System (ICS), addressing the shortcomings of the
proposition and the (im)probability of the ICS ever seeing daylight, and
invoked discussion among the panel as well as the audience. Throughout the conference,
the importance of discussion on the topical issues of investment arbitration,
as well as the need for the experts in the field to participate in that
discussion, was emphasized.