Reform of the International Economic Dispute Settlement

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18KK0370
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05030:International law-related
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Fukunaga Yuka 早稲田大学, 社会科学総合学術院, 教授 (10326126)
• Project Period (FY): 2019 – 2023
• Keywords: 国際貿易紛争 / 国際投資紛争 / WTO紛争処理 / 投資家対国家の紛争処理(ISDS) / 投資仲裁

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research examined the World Trade Organization (WTO) Dispute settlement and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), particularly investment arbitration (hereafter international economic dispute settlement) and discussed how it can be improved.
One of the criticisms against international economic dispute settlement is that international economic dispute settlement tribunals do not pay appropriate deference to states' right to regulate. This research reviewed international economic disputes involving climate change policies and security policies and suggested how the tribunals can balance the need to assess the legality of states' policies and the need to pay deference to states' right to regulate.

Free Research Field

国際法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

国際経済紛争処理は、国際経済紛争を法に基づき解決するために不可欠の要素である。にもかかわらず、国際経済紛争処理に対する批判が高まり、WTO紛争処理については部分的な機能不全に陥り、投資仲裁については離脱する国が増えている。
本研究は、国際経済紛争処理の改革案を提示したことで、引き続き国際経済紛争処理が活用され、国際社会における法の支配が維持されることに貢献すると期待される。