International Investment Law Research Guide

Table of Contents

• The ICSID Convention
• Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs)
• Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
• Treaty Interpretation & Commentary
   

The ICSID Convention

The 1965 Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes Between States and Nationals of Other States, usually referred to as the ICSID Convention, facilitates the resolution of disputes between sovereign states and foreign investors by means of conciliation and arbitration, rather than litigation in national courts.

To accomplish this goal, the Convention established an arbitral institution known as the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).  State parties to the ICSID Convention are obligated to recognize and enforce arbitral decisions and awards issued in proceedings administered by ICSID, even if they are not parties to the underlying dispute. 

The ICSID Convention website is the best source of information about the convention.  From it you can access:

• Official texts of the ICSID Convention and its current procedural rules in English, French, and Spanish;
• unofficial translations of the convention in 18 additional languages;
• a Database of ICSID Member States, which includes dates of signature, ratification, and entry into force;
• ICSID Annual Reports (1967-present) and ICSID Caseload Statistics (from 2010-present); and
• a four-volume History of the ICSID Convention.