We are reflecting on a highly successful conference in Berlin, where over 100 participants gathered to discuss “The Rule of Law and the Future of Investment Protection”. A big thank you to everyone involved for making this day so impactful. We also appreciate the support of our partners, Humboldt University and DIHK, in making this event possible.
The day began with welcome remarks by Stephan Wernicke (DIHK) and Stefan Kröll (DIS), followed by a keynote from Andrea Bjorklund (McGill University), who offered a broad overview of the latest trends in investment protection.
In the first panel, “Do We Need Investment Protection?” Helene Bubrowski (Table.Media) moderated an engaging discussion between Moritz Lumma (BMWK), Veronica Korom (ESSEC Business School), Manjiao Chi (UIBE Beijing), Stephan Wernicke (DIHK), and Hamed El Kady (UNCTAD), who explored the sometimes conflicting interests of states, investors, and international organizations.
Barbara M. Maucher (Noerr) led the second panel, “Investment Arbitration and the Rule of Law”, where August Reinisch (ILA) and James Castello (ITA) presented their work on rule of law principles in arbitration, sparking dialogue on reform ideas.
Sebastian Wuschka (DIS40) chaired the third panel, “Investment Dispute Settlement in the 21st Century”. Judith Knieper (UNCITRAL), Elisa Mendez Bräutigam (ICSID), Blanca Salas Ferrer (EU Commission), Steffen Hindelang (Uppsala University), George Bermann (Columbia University), Shimpei Ishido (Nishimura & Asahi), and Nadja Harraschain (A&O Shearman) examined current challenges and developments in dispute resolution.
The day concluded with closing remarks from Gerhard Wagner (Humboldt University), who skillfully summarized the day’s insights and set a forward-looking perspective on investment protection.
Once again, thank you to all who contributed to this enriching event!
Richard Happ
