Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements

Brazil only recently joined the collection of states that have adopted international investment agreements (IIAs), but in doing so it developed a noteworthy approach in the form of the Cooperation and Facilitation Investment Agreement (CFIA). In this essay, we explore the characteristics and merits...

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Main Authors: Henrique Choer Moraes, Felipe Hees
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2018-01-01
Series:AJIL Unbound
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2398772318000594/type/journal_article
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author Henrique Choer Moraes
Felipe Hees
author_facet Henrique Choer Moraes
Felipe Hees
author_sort Henrique Choer Moraes
collection DOAJ
description Brazil only recently joined the collection of states that have adopted international investment agreements (IIAs), but in doing so it developed a noteworthy approach in the form of the Cooperation and Facilitation Investment Agreement (CFIA). In this essay, we explore the characteristics and merits of this particular treaty model, making three points: First, the CFIA exhibits unique features that set it apart from traditional bilateral investment treaties (BITs), including the state-to-state management of investment relations and an emphasis on investment facilitation rather than investment protection. Second, the CFIA displays a degree of “interoperability” that has made it possible for Brazilian partners to sign these agreements while simultaneously holding BIT portfolios, despite significant differences between the two approaches. Finally, one of the CFIA's key features—that of investment facilitation—is a promising basis for reform in multilateral settings such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). In short, we believe that the CFIA offers an innovative and attractive option for states looking to supplement or revise traditional BITs, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
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spelling doaj.art-3baf2c0834e8417fa13d2f0146a8a0c72023-03-09T12:27:07ZengCambridge University PressAJIL Unbound2398-77232018-01-0111219720110.1017/aju.2018.59Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment AgreementsHenrique Choer Moraes0Felipe Hees1Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil, PhD candidate, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil.Brazil only recently joined the collection of states that have adopted international investment agreements (IIAs), but in doing so it developed a noteworthy approach in the form of the Cooperation and Facilitation Investment Agreement (CFIA). In this essay, we explore the characteristics and merits of this particular treaty model, making three points: First, the CFIA exhibits unique features that set it apart from traditional bilateral investment treaties (BITs), including the state-to-state management of investment relations and an emphasis on investment facilitation rather than investment protection. Second, the CFIA displays a degree of “interoperability” that has made it possible for Brazilian partners to sign these agreements while simultaneously holding BIT portfolios, despite significant differences between the two approaches. Finally, one of the CFIA's key features—that of investment facilitation—is a promising basis for reform in multilateral settings such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). In short, we believe that the CFIA offers an innovative and attractive option for states looking to supplement or revise traditional BITs, both bilaterally and multilaterally.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2398772318000594/type/journal_article
spellingShingle Henrique Choer Moraes
Felipe Hees
Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements
AJIL Unbound
title Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements
title_full Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements
title_fullStr Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements
title_full_unstemmed Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements
title_short Breaking the BIT Mold: Brazil's Pioneering Approach to Investment Agreements
title_sort breaking the bit mold brazil s pioneering approach to investment agreements
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2398772318000594/type/journal_article
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