The Interaction between Sustainable Development and the Fair and Equitable Treatment Standard in International Investment Arbitrations

The obligation of the host state to fair and equitable treatment of foreign investors includes maintaining the stability of the investment environment, transparency, compliance with legal procedures and etc. On the other hand, sustainable development is a dynamic concept whose implementation requires constant domestic and international regulation. A question may arise as to how these two principles can be balanced, most particularly in investment arbitrations. In this article, the possible contrast between these two commitments and the case-law of international investment arbitration on this subject will be examined. It will be concluded that the fair and equitable treatment standard can be interpreted with respect to the object and purpose of an investment agreement in light of the other requirements of the agreement, such as sustainable development. With regard to international investment arbitration case-law, it seems that arbitral tribunals have used behavioral criteria to make interaction among such obligations possible.