EU-28: EU High Court Rules CETA’s International Dispute Settlement Is Legal

On April 30, 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) delivered its opinion confirming that the investors’ dispute settlement mechanism in the EU-Canada free trade agreement (CETA) is compatible with EU law. This concludes a five-year debate launched by civil society and supported by several EU political parties as to whether this mechanism could enable foreign companies to sidestep local courts and challenge European and national policies. This dispute mechanism provision became a lightning rod in trade negotiations for CETA and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).  

EU-28: EU High Court Rules CETA’s International Dispute Settlement Is Legal