In the wake of the notable failure of the OECD draft Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), it has become clear that any attempt to regulate investment at the global level must pay serious attention to the position of developing countries. This remarkable collection of essays sheds penetrating light on this and other legal, political, and economic issues affecting the intense international debate on this important subject.
The result of a symposium sponsored in April 1999 by the E.M. Meijers Institute of Legal Studies at Leiden University, Multilateral Regulation of Investment presents the incisive views of nine outstanding authorities, both academics and practitioners, in disciplines related to investment and development.
Among the essential criteria proposed for a successful global regulatory framework for investment are the following:
involvement at the national level of all sectors of the economy in drafting a national position; involvement from the start of multilateral negotiations of both developing and developed countries; transparency of negotiations; balance between investment protection and the right to regulate; and respect for core labour standards and human rights.
The authors agree in seeing the objectives of the multilateral regulation of investment, both direct and portfolio, as not only reducing risk but also enhancing trust between investors and states, as host states must be sure that foreign investors will genuinely contribute to sustainable development and the well-being of their populations.