I. Introduction
The selection of the law applicable to the dispute is one of the fundamental exercises of party autonomy.1 With respect to the applicable law to the merits, investment arbitration has a unique conception of party autonomy that applies both to-
In the presence of an express choice of law in the IIA, the tribunal is bound to apply it to the merits of the dispute.3 However, IIAs rarely provide connecting factors that direct tribunals on the law to apply to each specific issue. In the absence of an express choice, the tribunal has a wider degree of discretion.4 See further Applicable law to the merits.
II. Choice of law methodology
In the context of investment arbitration, there are some commonly encountered choices for the applicable law-
Some treaty formulations also refer to ‘rules of law’ rather than to a domestic system of law.6
The identification of the applicable law is a two-step process. First, the tribunal must determine the substantive laws forming the eventual basis of liability under the IIA. Second, it should find and characterise all rules within these substantive laws relevant to resolve the dispute.7 Investment tribunals must thus sometimes resort to a sophisticated dépeçage, applying different rules to different issues in a claim.8
III. Presence of express choice in IIAs
IV. Absence of express choice in IIAs
A. ICSID Convention
Article 42(1) of the ICSID Convention stipulates that, in the absence of an express choice-of-law clause in the IIA, the tribunal must apply the law of the Contracting State party to the dispute and applicable rules of international law.15
As Article 42(1) “is not a choice of law rule in the true sense of the term,”16 the balance in application between these two sources of law is left to the discretion of the tribunal.17 It is also open to a tribunal to apply the treaty provisions themselves as contemplated by the rules of international law.18
B. Non-ICSID Convention
Under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules,19 the SCC Arbitration Rules20 and the ICC Arbitration Rules,21 the arbitral tribunal should apply the "laws" or "the rules of law" to the substance of the dispute. The UNCITRAL and ICC Rules go a step further and expressly require the tribunal to consider the provisions of the agreement/contract.22
Bibliography
Douglas, Z., The International Law of Investment Claims, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Peter, W., Arbitration and Renegotiation of International Investment Agreements, Kluwer Law International, 1995.
Reisman, W. and Arsanjani, M., Applicable Law Under the ICSID Convention: The Tortured History of the Interpretation of Article 42, in Kinnear, M. and Fischer, G.R. (eds.), Building International Investment Law: The First 50 Years of ICSID, Kluwer Law International, 2015.
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