Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 the Professor Assistant of law faculty of Tehran university( college of farabi)

2 Ph.D student in oil and gas law- Shahid Beheshti University

Abstract

In many bilateral investment treaties, the investor is allowed to submit its claim to domestic courts, arbitration or any other agreed tribunals. Offering different options to the investor for the method of dispute resolution could lead to some problems, such as conflicting decisions and ambiguous interpretations. Because of these problems, some states have placed some restrictions upon investors and prohibited them from submitting their claims in different courts or tribunals at the same time. Fork in the road is a specific clause requiring the investor to make a final decision and choose a specific court or tribunal, among all competent courts and tribunals, to submit its claim. Choosing any tribunal prevents other tribunals from having jurisdiction. This article aims to examine international arbitration practice regarding fork in the road clause by focusing on ICSID awards.
 

Highlights

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Keywords

 English Sources
- Christoph schreuer, "interaction of international tribunals and domestic courts in investment law", fork in the road.
- Christoph Schreuer, "Travelling the bit route of waiting periods, umbrella clauses  and forks in the road",Geneva,publisher and editor Jacques werner,April 2004.
- Fiona Marshall,"Risks for host state of the entwining of investment treaty and contract claims: dispute resolution  clauses ,umbrella clause and fork-in-the-road, bulletin", international institute for sustainable development , August 2009.
-  "Investor-state dispute arising from investment treaties: a review" ,Unctad series on international investment policies for development ,united nation,2005.
-  North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) available at: http://www.sice.oas.org/Trade/NAFTA/chap-112.asp.
Bilateral Investment Treaties:
-  B.I.T between Republic of France and Republic of Argentine, available at: http://investorstatelawguide.com/documents/documents/BIT-0005%20-%20Argentina-France%20BIT%20 (1991)%20[english%20translation]%20UNTS.pdf.
-B.I.T between Federal Republic of Germany and Republic of Trinidad and Tobago available at: http;//investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/ download/ treatyfile/1434.
-B.I.T between Islamic Republic of Iran and Federal Republic of Ethiopia available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/1166.
-B.I.T between Islamic Republic of Iran and Japan available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/3578
-B.I.Tbetween Islamic Republic of Iran and Hellenic Republic available at:http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/744.
-B.I.T between Islamic Republic of Iran and Italian Republic available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/3201.
-B.I.T between Islamic Republic Of Iran and Lebanese Republic available at : http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/1654.
 -B.I.T between Islamic Republic of Iran and People's Republic of China available at:http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/744.
 -B.I.T between Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic Of Australia available at: http://investmentpolicyhu.unctad.org/download/treatyfile/193.
- B.I.T between Islamic Republic Of Iran and The People's Republic Of Bangladesh available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/ Download/ TreatyFile/267.
-  B.I.T between Islamic Republic Of Iran and Republic Of Kazakhstan available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/1651.
-  B.I.T between Islamic Republic Of Iran and Republic Of Korea available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/1652.
-  B.I.T between Japan and Ukraine available at: http://investmentpolicyhub. unctad.org/ Download/ TreatyFile/3324.
-  B.I.T between People's Republic of china and Republic Of Argentine available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/79.
-  B.I.T Between Republic of Egypt and Hellenic Republic,1993,available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/1075.
-  B.I.T between the United Mexican States and the Federal Republic of Germany available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/ Download/ TreatyFile/1371.
-  B.I.T between the United States of America and the Republic of Ecuador available at: http://investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org/Download/TreatyFile/1065 
Arbitral awards:
-  A.s.Baltoil, Alex Genin , Eastern Credit Limited Vs Republic of Estonia ,ICSID Case No,ARB99/2,award on June 25, 2001 available at: https://icsid.worldbank.org/apps/ICSIDWEB/cases/Pages/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/99/2.
-  Azurix corp Vs Republic of Argentine, ICSID Case No.ARB/01/12, Award on June18,2012, available at: https://icsid.worldbank.org/apps/ICSIDWEB/ cases/ Pages/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/03/30&tab=PRO.
-  CMS gas transmission company Vs  Republic of Argentine ICSID case No,ARB/01/8 Award on may 12, 2005 available at: https://icsid.worldbank.org/apps/ ICSIDWEB/cases/Pages/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/01/8.
-  Desert Line Projects Vs Republic of Yemen, ICSID Case no, ARB/05/17, award on February 6, 2008  available at: https://icsid.worldbank.org/apps/ ICSIDWEB/cases/Pages/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/05/17.
- M.C.I Power Group Lc. And New Turbine.INC Vs  Republic of Ecuador, ICSID Case no,ARB/03/06,award on july 20,2007 available at: https:// arbitrationlaw.com/library/mci-power-group-lc-and-new-turbine-inc-v-ecuador-icsid-case-no-arb036-usecuador-bit-award.
-  Middle East Cement Shipping Vs Arab Republic of Egypt,  ICSID case no. ARB/99/06, award on April 12,2002 , available at: https://icsid.worldbank.org/apps /ICSIDWEB/cases/Pages/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/99/6.
- Pantechniki S.A. Contractors & Engineers Vs  Republic of Albania ,ICSID, case no.ARB/07/21  Award on July 30, 2009.  Available at: https://icsid.worldbank. org/apps/ICSIDWEB/cases/Pages/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/07/21.