The Adjudicator's Toolkit and the Force of International Law : : Comparing Trade and Investment Disputes.

• Author: Strain, Nicola.
• Place / Publishing House: Boston : : BRILL,, 2024.; ©2024.
• Year of Publication: 2024
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (399 pages)

International economic adjudication is under stress. International law could act as a legitimising force. Yet, this book shows how far away that goal is: the inconsistency in the application of the international legal toolkit plagues the dispute settlement systems in need of reform.

Table of Contents

• Front Cover
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Figures and Tables
• Figures
• Tables
• Selected Abbreviations
• 1 Introduction
• 1 The Toolkit: Opening and Closing the Gateway to Other International Law
• 2 The Puzzle: Normative Goals and Design Choices
• 3 Research Approach: Method of the Study
• 4 Findings
• 5 Structure of the Book
• 2 Setting the Scene
• 1 Defragmentation and the System of International Law
• 2 The Role of Adjudicators: Normative Goals and Judicial Functions
• 2.1 Consensual Approach: the Limits of Jurisdictional Authority
• 2.2 Systemic Approach: the International Judicial Function
• 3 Legal Concepts and Provisions
• 3.1 Jurisdiction
• 3.1.1 WTO
• 3.1.2 ISDS
• 3.1.3 Conclusion on Jurisdiction
• 3.2 Applicable Law
• 3.2.1 WTO
• 3.2.2 ISDS
• 3.2.3 Conclusions on Applicable Law
• 3.3 Interpretation
• 3.3.1 Role of Interpretation in International Law
• 3.3.2 Distinguishing Applicable Law and Interpretation
• 3.3.3 Conclusion on Interpretation
• 3.4 Conclusions and Implications
• 3 Empirical Perspective
• 1 Empirical Perspectives on the Force of International Law
• 1.1 Responding to Fragmentation: Relevant Decisions
• 1.1.1 A Timeline of Fragmentation Responses?
• 1.1.2 Acceptance of Other International Law
• 1.2 Impact of Dispute Settlement Design
• 1.2.1 Sources of Law
• 1.2.2 Legal Basis and Method of Reasoning: Application of International Law
• 1.2.3 Legal Basis and Method of Reasoning: Rejection of International Law
• 1.2.4 Regime Interactions: Courts and Tribunals
• 1.3 Conclusions on Responses to Fragmentation in ISDS and WTO
• 2 Beyond the Numbers: Consistently Inconsistent?
• 2.1 Treaty Interactions: Overview
• 2.2 Human Rights in ISDS
• 2.3 Environment in WTO
• 2.4 Customary International Law
• 2.5 Conclusions on Inconsistency
• 4 Opening Tools
• 1 Applicable Law.
• 1.1 Applicable Law in ISDS Practice: the Relevance of Different Applicable Law Language
• 1.2 Applicable Law in ISDS Practice: the Relevance of the Absence of an Applicable Law Clause
• 1.3 Comparing ISDS and WTO Practice
• 1.4 Applicable Law and General Principles: the Avoidance of Non Liquet
• 2 General Principles
• 2.1 General Principles in Numbers
• 2.2 General Principles in Practice
• 2.2.1 Good Faith
• 2.2.2 Estoppel
• 2.2.3 Coordinating Jurisdictions
• 2.2.4 Conclusion on General Principles in Practice
• 2.3 Coherence and Systemization: the Broader Function of General Principles
• 3 Systemic Integration
• 3.1 Systemic Integration and Its Indeterminacy
• 3.2 Systemic Integration in Numbers
• 3.3 Systemic Integration in Practice
• 3.3.1 Environmental Agreements in the WTO
• 3.3.2 Necessity in ISDS
• 3.4 Implications: Systemic Integration as Providing the Solution or the Problem of Fragmentation?
• 5 Closing Tool
• 1 Jurisdiction and Its Indeterminacy
• 1.1 Jurisdiction in General International Law
• 1.1.1 Understandings in Treaty
• 1.1.2 Understandings in Jurisprudence
• 1.1.3 Distinguishing Jurisdiction and Admissibility
• 1.2 Jurisdiction in the WTO
• 1.3 Jurisdiction in ISDS
• 1.4 Implications of the Indeterminacy: Unclear Power and Authority
• 2 Jurisdiction as a Closing Tool in Practice
• 2.1 Jurisdictional Objections
• 2.2 Inherent and Procedural Powers
• 2.3 Implications
• 6 Unpacking Inconsistency
• 1 Source of Inconsistency: Relationship between Jurisdiction and Applicable Law
• 1.1 The Murky Waters of International Jurisprudence
• 1.1.1 Implications of This Murky Relationship
• 1.2 Treatment by WTO Panels and the Appellate Body
• 1.2.1 Peru - Agricultural Products
• 1.2.2 EC - Large Civil Aircraft
• 1.2.3 Mexico - Soft Drinks.
• 1.2.4 Conclusions on the WTO-Perspective of the Relationship between Jurisdiction and Applicable Law
• 1.3 Treatment of the Relationship by Investor-State Adjudicators
• 1.3.1 Tenaris v Venezuela (II)
• 1.3.2 Mamidoil Jetoil v Albania
• 1.3.3 Methanex v USA
• 1.3.4 Conclusions on the ISDS-Perspective of the Relationship between Jurisdiction and Applicable Law
• 1.4 Implications: Divergent Treaty-Perspectives but a Common Tribunal Understanding?
• 2 Resulting Inconsistency: Normativity and the Toolkit
• 2.1 Jurisdiction and Applicable Law: the Confusing Approach to Countermeasures
• 2.2 Jurisdiction and Interpretation: the Complexity of Systemic Integration
• 2.2.1 Relationship between Jurisdiction and Article 31(3)(c): ISDS
• 2.2.2 Relationship between Jurisdiction and Article 31(3)(c): WTO Disputes
• 2.2.3 Implications
• 2.3 Applicable Law and Interpretation
• 2.4 Conclusions and Implications
• 7 Legitimacy, Reform and the Adjudicator's Toolkit
• 1 Legitimacy
• 1.1 Legitimacy Framework
• 1.2 Normative Legitimacy
• 1.2.1 Performance Standards
• 1.2.2 Justice Standards
• 1.3 Sociological Legitimacy: States' Perceptions
• 1.3.1 WTO
• 1.3.2 ISDS
• 1.4 Implications
• 2 Reform Options
• 2.1 Strengthening Interpretation and Communication Mechanisms of States
• 2.2 Strengthening Precedent
• 2.3 Strengthening Adjudicatory Institutions and Appeal Mechanisms
• 2.4 Implications
• 8 Conclusion
• Appendix
• List of Relevant WTO Decisions
• List of Relevant ISDS Decisions
• References
• Table of Cases
• International Investment Tribunals
• World Trade Organization
• International Court of Justice
• Others
• Table of Treaties and Other Instruments
• Table of Reports and Documents
• Bibliography
• Index
• Back Cover.