2019年8月16日，ICSID发布了关于解决国际投资争端程序规则修正案的最新提议，即《工作文件3：ICSID规则修改建议》。各国和公众通过过去一年的广泛交流提出了这些提议。

继2018年8月和2019年3月发布的第一次和第二次修改建议，《工作文件3：ICSID规则》修改建议介绍了关于仲裁、调解、调停和事实认定的最新草案规则，以及关于拟议修订理由的评论。

在过去一年来，ICSID进行了超过75次现场和网上交流，并收到了100多份来自各国和公众的书面意见。

ICSID秘书长Meg Kinnear表示：“自大约一年前发布第一份工作报告以来，我们已经取得了巨大进展。这要感谢我们的成员国、法律从业者、专业学者和非政府组织的大力参与。”

一、背景

2016年底，ICSID着手更新投资者与国家争端解决程序规则。其首要目标是对该规则进行精简并使之现代化，减少程序时间和费用，利用新技术减少案件对环境的影响，以及保持国家和投资者利益之间的平衡。

2017年，ICSID还邀请各国和公众就其在修订规则中希望解决的议题发表意见。ICSID收到了广泛的建议，包括：

（1）提高进行程序及其结果的透明度（例如，通过增加裁决、决定和命令的公布）

（2）要求披露第三方资助；

（3）要求仲裁员、调解员、调停员和临时委员会成员作出更多的独立性和公正性声明；

（4）通过使用快速仲裁规则为当事人提供加速程序的选项。

这些议题以及其他议题也在拟议修订规则中进行了讨论。

二、后续步骤

ICSID成员国将于2019年11月举行会议，就最新拟议草案进行磋商。对《ICSID公约规则》的修订需经三分之二成员国批准，而对附加便利规则、事实认定规则和调解规则的修订，则仅需经简单多数票通过。

附：

《工作文件3：ICSID规则》修改建议原文链接：

https://icsid.worldbank.org/en/Documents/WP_3_VOLUME_1_ENGLISH.pdf

《工作文件2：ICSID规则》修改建议原文链接：

https://icsid.worldbank.org/en/Documents/Vol_1.pdf

《工作文件1：ICSID规则》修正案原文链接：

https://icsid.worldbank.org/en/Documents/Amendments_Vol_3_Complete_WP+Schedules.pdf

 

【英文原文】

ICSID Publishes Third Working Paper on Rule Amendments

August 16, 2019

ICSID today released its latest proposals for amendment of its procedural rules for the resolution of international investment disputes. The proposals build on extensive consultation with States and the public over the last year.

Working Paper #3: Proposals for Amendment of the ICSID Rules features the updated draft rules for arbitration, mediation, conciliation and fact-finding, as well as commentary on the rationale behind the proposed changes. It follows Working Paper #1 (published in August 2018) and Working Paper #2 (published in March 2019).

Over the last year, ICSID has held over 75 in-person and online consultations and received over a 100 written comments from States and the public. 

“We have made tremendous progress since publishing the first working paper almost exactly a year ago,” said Meg Kinnear, ICSID Secretary-General. “This is thanks to the strong engagement we have received from our Member States, legal practitioners, academics and NGOs.”

Background

ICSID embarked on the process of updating its procedural rules for investor-State dispute settlement in late 2016. The overarching goals are to streamline and modernize the rules, reduce the time and cost of proceedings, leverage new technology to lessen the environmental footprint of cases, and maintain balance amongst the interests of States and investors. 

Over the course of 2017, ICSID also invited ideas from States and the public on topics that they wished to see addressed in the revised rules. ICSID received a wide-range of suggestions, including:

• Enhancing transparency in the conductand outcome of proceedings (for example, through increased publication of awards, decisions and orders)

• Mandating the disclosure of third-party funding

• Requiring more extensive declarations of independence and impartiality from arbitrators, mediators, conciliators and ad-hoc committee members

• Providing parties with the option to fast-track proceedings through the use of expedited arbitration rules

These and other topics have also been addressed in the proposed rule changes.

Next Steps

ICSID Member States are meeting in November 2019 to consult on the latest draft proposals. Amendments to the ICSID Convention Rules require the approval of two-thirds of Member States, and as imple majority in the case of the Additional Facility Rules, Fact-Finding, and Mediation Rules.