Seminar: 'International investment law and arbitration in the renewable energy sector – Quo Vadis?'

In-person Seminar: 3.00 pm - 7.00 pm

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Seminar summary: Energy is ‘the backbone of our economies’. As part of the overall energy supply, renewable energy is more important than ever. It is an important element in the fight against climate change and is relevant in the context of Sustainable Development Goals. The years 2022 and 2023 witnessed ground-breaking developments as regards the status and future of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). Unsuccessful reforms of the ECT, together with numerous treaty-based arbitrations brought against EU member states, triggered the process of withdrawals from the ECT. These developments follow the termination of intra-EU bilateral investment treaties. The event will provide an opportunity to discuss the current challenges faced by international investment law and treaty-based arbitration in the renewable energy sector. The event will address questions such as:

(i)    ‘Looking into the crystal ball’ – how will the recent developments frame the future?

(ii)    Identifying historical patterns which can be expected to repeat – which facts have led to the unprecedented number of investor-state arbitrations filed against EU member states (for example, in the ‘Spanish saga cases’)?

(iii)    ‘Lessons learned’ from the current case law – what impact can arbitral awards rendered against Spain and other EU member states have on future proceedings commenced against other states, within and outside of the EU? 

Chair and moderator: Dr Joanna Gomula, LCIL Centre Fellow 

Programme revised 091023 

Confirmed participants (in alphabetical order):

Dr Filip Balcerzak (Adam Mickiewicz University/SSW Pragmatic Solutions)

Dr Ana Maria Daza Vargas (University of Edinburgh) 

Dr Markus Gehring (LCIL)

Dr Joanna Gomula (LCIL)

Prof Winfried Huck (Brunswick European Law School, Ostfalia University)

Mr Simon Maynard (King & Spalding) 

Dr Tibisay Morgandi (QMUL)

Prof Zvenyslava Opeida (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy)

Ms Ana Stanič (Visiting Professor at Technische Universität Berlin, CEPMLP and UIBE (China))

Please note, this event will not be streamed or recorded.