As debate continues over whether Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) ought to be included in U.S. trade agreements such as the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), USCIB represented American business interests at the Investment Policy Group meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) in Geneva on March 23 and 24.

Shaun Donnelly, USCB’s vice president for investment and financial services, attended the meeting as one of just three business representatives among the group’s 25 investment experts convened by WEF and ICTSD.

This Investment Policy Group ‎is one of 18 parallel expert groups under the E15 initiative, jointly implemented by WEF and ICTSD, to develop policy recommendations to governments and international organizations across a broad range of trade and investment issues by late 2015. At the investment group meeting, academics, lawyers, international organization officials and business representatives debated a range of investment issues and options. Herbert Oberhaensli of USCIB member Nestle and Nicolle Graugnard from the International Chamber of Commerce secretariat in Paris joined Donnelly at as business representatives at this session.

Much of the discussion centered on ISDS, which grants an investor the right to use dispute settlement proceedings against a foreign government. USCIB argued that ISDS is a necessary legal instrument to truly incentivize and protect international investment flows that are vital for economic growth, development and job creation.

The E15 initiative’s Investment Policy Group will meet again in June to finalize its recommendations.