ABSTRACT
Investment has proven to be a highly controversial issue in the context of international trade negotiations. At the core of the controversy are concerns that the texts of investment agreements have failed to strike the balance between investor rights and obligations, and unduly limited countries’ capacities to regulate. Developing countries in particular have voiced concerns about investment agreements interfering with or even working against their development agendas. Ultimately, investment agreements have latently been perceived as a threat to national sovereignty.
