Second Columbia International Investment Conference: “What’s Next in International Investment Law and Policy? Improving the International Investment Law and Policy System”

Date: October 30, 2007
Location: Columbia University, New York

The Conference was organized by the Columbia Program on International Investment; the Center on Global Legal Problems, Columbia Law School; the Integration and Trade Sector, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB); and the American Society of International Law (ASIL). It was also co-sponsored by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce.

Against the background of the growth of foreign direct investment, the proliferation of international investment agreements and the rise of investment disputes, the Second Columbia International Investment Conference identified some of the challenges that the international investment law and policy system is facing and discussed the way forward.

More specifically, the Conference examined the expectations of key stakeholders as regards the international investment law and policy system. It also looked at the implications of a rise of FDI protectionism and, related to that, addressed the question of whether there may be a need to recalibrate this system by looking, inter alia, at key investor protection standards; corporate social responsibility; home country measures; and the special role that developing countries can play in further developing and strengthening the current system.

The papers presented at the Conference will be published.

Download the conference program.
Download the post-conference assessment.