Energy dispute resolution conference: Investment protection, transit and the Energy Charter Treaty

In today's energy-dependent world, securing energy investments is a challenge for producer, consumer and transit countries alike. The dramatic breakdown in gas deliveries to Europe in early 2009 demonstrates the importance of secure transit mechanisms for grid-bound energy investments. The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), signed in 1994 and with 53 members, is the only multilateral treaty which covers both investment protection and transit dispute resolution issues.

Following two highly successful conferences in Stockholm in June 2005 and in Washington in May 2007, the Energy Charter Secretariat organised, in conjunction with the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, the International Chamber of Commerce and the Permanent Court of Arbitration, this third Conference in Brussels on 22-23 October 2009.

Programme and presentations

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Amb. André Mernier
Secretary General, Energy Charter Secretariat

Ulf Franke
Secretary General, Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce

Jason Fry
Secretary General, International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce

Meg Kinnear
Secretary General, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

Christiaan Kröner
Secretary General, Permanent Court of Arbitration

Session 1: What's new ? Awards, decisions and other developments in recent ECT investment arbitrations

Chair: Norah Gallagher (Director, Investment Treaty Forum, British Institute of International and Comparative Law)

Plama v Bulgaria
Virginie Colaiuta (Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP)
Jonathan Hamilton (White & Case LLP)

Ioannis Kardassopoulos v Georgia
David Herlihy (Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP)
Claudia Salomon (DLA Piper)

Amto v Ukraine
Kaj Hobér (Mannheimer Swartling)
Sergey Voitovich/Dmitry Grischenko (Grischenko & Partners)

HEP v Slovenia
Stephen Jagusch (Allen & Overy)

Azpetrol International Holdings B.V. v Azerbaijan
Stephen Jagusch (Allen & Overy)

AES v Hungary
Stephen Jagusch (Allen & Overy)
Jean Kalicki (Arnold & Porter LLP)

Session 2: BITs, the ECT and the EU: is conflict inevitable?

Chair : Christer Söderlund (Advokatfirman Vinge KB)

Markus Burgstaller
Lovells LLP

Richard Happ
Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH

Esa Paasivirta
European Commission

Robert Volterra
Latham & Watkins LLP

Session 3: Provisional application: rien ne dure comme le provisoire...

Chair: James Crawford (Matrix Chambers)

Yas Banifatemi
Shearman & Sterling LLP

Alexandre de Gramont
Crowell & Moring LLP

Laurent Gouiffès
Lovells LLP

Michael Polkinghorne
White & Case LLP

Session 4: Transit disputes, supply disputes and the ECT: towards an East-West thaw?

Chair: Jonathan Stern (Director of Gas Research, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies)

Colin Brown
European Commission

Peter Cameron
Professor of International Energy Law and Policy, Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee

Kaj Hobér
Mannheimer Swartling

Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi
Magisters Ltd

Closing Remarks

Norah Gallagher
Director, Investment Treaty Forum, British Institute of International and Comparative Law

Stanimir Alexandrov
Sidley Austin LLP

Graham Coop
General Counsel, Energy Charter Secretariat