CELIS-Blog
Protecting EU Sanctions by Invoking the Denial of Benefits Clause of the Energy Charter Treaty
By Johannes Tropper, University of Vienna Introduction Recently, on 24 September 2024, the Secretariat of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), received a communication from the EU and all its member states, except Hungary. According to the notification, they are exercising their right under the ECT to deny the benefits of investment protection under the ECT…
Read More ...Balancing Security and Economics: The EU Investment Screening Mechanism
By Floor Doppen (University of Antwerp), Antonio Calcara (Vrije Universiteit Brussels) and Dirk De Bièvre (University of Antwerp) In the EU, Member States and the Commission are increasingly turning to trade and investment tools to address national security issues. In the face of concerns over technology leakage, supply chain resilience, dependencies in critical industries, data…
Read More ...The European Commission’s Fourth Annual Report on FDI Screening
By Sophie Bohnert, CELIS Blog A. Introduction This October is the month of investment screening. Not only did CFIS 2024, hosted by the CELIS Institute and convened by Steffen Hindelang and Roland Stein, take place in Paris (France) from 16 to 18 October 2024. It is also the month in which the European Commission (“EC”)…
Read More ...(Bio)Fueled to Combat Climate Change? An Analysis of the WTO Panel Decision in the EU-Palm Oil (Malaysia) Dispute
By Isha Das, University of Passau I. Introduction The Panel report in the EU–Palm Oil (Malaysia) dispute[i] was circulated on 5 March 2024. It is an important addition to the list of environment-related international trade disputes brought before the World Trade Organisation (‘WTO’). This is the first time that a WTO Panel has had to…
Read More ...FDI And FSR Enforcement Trends in Europe: July and August 2024 – Hard Times For Chinese Investments In Europe?
Note from the Editors This post was first published on the Baker McKenzie Blog. By Paul Johnson, Pavlo Prokhorov and Beau Maes, all Baker McKenzie This summer was marked by a particular focus and scrutiny by authorities on transactions involving investors from China, which is typically considered a “risk” jurisdiction from an EU FDI and…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – Securing Europe’s Future: Investment Screening and Economic Security in the Context of EU Enlargement
A Note from the Editors The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS.…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – Preserving the Battlefield Gap in the Area of Technology: Between Export Control and Outbound Investment Screening
A Note from the Editors The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS.…
Read More ...CFIS 2024: Issue Notes (Part 2/2)
A Note from the Editors The CELIS Blog is launching its second special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). The Issue Note series provides analyses which are published to elicit comment and to further debate. The series is written by our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and…
Read More ...CFIS 2024: Issue Notes (Part 1/2)
A Note from the Editors The CELIS Blog is launching its second special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). The Issue Note series provides analyses which are published to elicit comment and to further debate. The series is written by our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and…
Read More ...The Dutch Strategy for Attracting Foreign Investments and Protecting National Security
By Olga Hrynkiv[i] The Netherlands is at a pivotal moment where it must strike a delicate balance between the influx of foreign investments and the imperative to protect its national security. For a long time, Dutch governments have resisted the introduction of a general screening mechanism on national security grounds, concerned it could hinder the…
Read More ...CELIS Update on Investment Screening – September 2024
European Union – European Commission has granted conditional approval in first in-depth review for an M&A transaction On 24 September 2024, the European Commission has approved the acquisition by Emirates Telecommunications Group Company PJSC (ETGC) of sole control of PPF Telecom Group B.V. (PPF), excluding its Czech business, under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The approval is conditional on…
Read More ...Towards a centralisation of FDI screening in the EU? On the functioning and effects of the cooperation mechanism in the Commission’s proposal for a revised screening regulation
By Steffen Hindelang and Jan Philipp Huth[i] A. Introduction To those arguing, before the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tension, in favour of a security-oriented European industrial policy, it may seem like a relic of bygone times. However, Art. 63 para. 1 TFEU – still – provides for free movement of capital between the EU and…
Read More ...The Growing “Informalisation” of EU Trade and Investment Law: The End of a Rules-Based Order?
By Sophie Bohnert, Vienna University of Economics and Business I. Introduction Since approximately 2017, EU trade and investment law has not only taken a “unilateral turn”[i] but has also experienced a “softening”. The EU appears to be adopting an increasingly informal approach to pursuing its policy objectives, alongside other major players such as the United…
Read More ...CELIS Update on Investment Screening – August 2024
EU – European Commission publishes Commission Staff Working Document giving clarifications on the application of Art. 4 (1), Article 6 and Article 27(1) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market On 26 July 2024, the European Commission (“EC”) published the Commission Staff Working Document on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – The Current Global Regulatory & Investment Environment: The OECD Countries’ Perspective on Economic Security
The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is the flagship event…
Read More ...Mapping FDI Screening Practices in Advanced Economies
By Lorenzo Bencivelli (Banca d’Italia), Violaine Faubert, Florian Le Gallo and Pauline Négrin (Banque de France) Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Banque de France or the Banca d’Italia. In recent years, most advanced economies have adopted or tightened their existing foreign investment screening…
Read More ...The ‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act’ (PAFACAA): ‘TikTok Ban’ or New Milestone in US Economic Security Law?
By Paolo Mazzotti, PhD candidate and Research Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (Heidelberg) The recently adopted ‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act’ (PAFACAA) marks a new step in the evolution of US economic security law. While often referred to as a ‘TikTok ban’, PAFACAA puts in place…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – Investment Screening in Defense Sector: Promoting National Security and Neoliberalism
The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is the flagship event…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – FDI and EU Strategic Autonomy
The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is the flagship event…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – Sovereign Wealth Funds and Investment Screening
The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is the flagship event…
Read More ...CELIS Update on Investment Screening – July 2024
Romania – Romanian Parliament introduces new law revising and reinforcing the approach towards EU investors On 17 July 2024, the President of Romania officially promulgated the new law Nr. 231. It took effect three days after its publication in the Official Gazette on 18 July 2024. One of the most important aspects of the new…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – A firm-level perspective on investment screening in the EU
The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is the flagship event…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – Background Paper on Foreign Subsidies Regulation
The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is the flagship event…
Read More ...CFIS 24: Paris Insights – Investment Screening and Economic Security in the Majority World
From the Editors The CELIS Blog is launching its very first special series of blog posts ahead of this year’s CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS). Our Programme Sherpas, promising young academics and practitioners in the field, share their views on the topics we will be discussing in the various panels during CFIS. CFIS is…
Read More ...The First Court (Interim Reliefs) Decision on the Dutch FDI Screening Regime: Setting the Boundaries
By Najibullah Zamani, Radboud University Introduction In recent years, mostly due to geopolitical developments, the perception of FDI by states has changed fundamentally. FDI is used increasingly as a tool to pursue geopolitical and security interests rather than as an objective in itself. As a consequence of this geo-politicization and securitization of FDI, more and…
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