Resources

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the ICSID Convention’s regime governing compliance with, recognition, enforcement and execution of an ICSID Convention Award.

ICSID's Background Paper on Annulment provides a comprehensive assessment of the annulment remedy in the ICSID Convention. First published in 2012—and now in its third edition—ICSID’s Background Paper on Annulment surveys the drafting history of the ICSID Convention’s provisions on annulment, details how the annulment process works in practice, and draws from over fifty years of data to highlight trends in annulment proceedings.

ICSID offers specialized rules of procedure for arbitration, conciliation, fact-finding, and mediation. These are the most commonly used procedural rules in investor-State dispute settlement.

After one year of implementation, ICSID is pleased to present this overview highlighting observations on the applicability of the 2022 ICSID Rules and Regulations and the cases administered to date under the amended rules. 

ICSID provides an independent forum to conciliate and arbitrate these disputes. ICSID was established under the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the ICSID Convention)—a treaty that entered force in 1966, and which today has been signed and ratified by 158 States. Today, ICSID is as relevant as ever—with a membership and caseload that is larger than at any other point in its history. This short primer provides an introduction to ICSID, covering its origins and purpose.

The ICSID Annual Report provides an overview of activities during the past ICSID fiscal year, including information on developments in the ICSID membership and caseload, designations to the Panels of Arbitrators and of Conciliators, resolutions adopted by the Council, publications, and financial statements on the income and expenditures of the Centre.

The ICSID Caseload - Statistics contains a profile of the ICSID caseload since the first case was registered in 1972, providing a valuable empirical reference about trends in international investment dispute settlement generally.

ICSID's series of brochures provide concise insights into the institution's role, benefits, and services. 

The ICSID Review - Foreign Investment Law Journal is the world’s leading independent peer-reviewed journal specializing in international investment law and dispute resolution.

ICSID’s Background Paper on Investment Mediation serves as a step-by-step introduction to the role of mediation in resolving investment disputes, how the mediation process works in practice, and the key ways that participants—States, investors and mediators—can set themselves up for successful outcomes.

ICSID’s Overview of Investment Treaty Clauses on Mediation draws on an extensive survey of existing dispute resolution clauses in bilateral investment treaties, free trade agreements, and dispute settlement provisions in model treaties. 

This document provides a step-by-step comparison of the arbitral process under the ICSID and UNCITRAL rules, as well as notes on how ICSID’s administrative services cater to parties and tribunals under both sets of rules.

ICSID amended its rules and regulations in 2022. This marks the fourth time the ICSID rules have been updated and the most extensive amendment to date. This page collates the ICSID Working Papers on proposed amendment to the rules, as well as State and Public feedback received on the proposals. 

The Secretariats of ICSID and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) are collaborating on a draft Code of Conduct for Adjudicators in International Investment Disputes. These background papers, which cover the topics of issue conflict, double-hatting, and repeat appointments, were developed by the ICSID Secretariat to support the development of the Code of Conduct. 

This document outlines a number of the special features of ICSID, from its unique role as an institution specifically designed for the settlement of international investment disputes, to the Centre’s part in supporting diversity and encouraging transparency. 

The Practice Notes for Respondents in ICSID Arbitration address practical aspects of responding to an investment claim brought under the ICSID Convention or the ICSID Additional Facility Rules. 

The History of the ICSID Convention is a unique source of preparatory documents concerning the origin and formulation of the ICSID Convention. It contains original texts of reports of committees, records of meetings, working papers, notes, and other documents in the three official languages of ICSID (English, French and Spanish).

The current ICSID rules came into effect on April 10, 2006, following a two-year period of extensive public consultation. As background, the Secretariat issued a discussion paper on October 22, 2004 titled Possible Improvements of the Framework of ICSID Arbitration and a working paper on May 12, 2005 titled Suggested Changes to the ICSID Rules and Regulations. 

ICSID’s multi-volume loose-leaf collection, Investment Laws of the World, features investment legislation and contact information of national investment agencies from over 140 countries. Investment Laws of the World has been published since 1973 and the legislation reproduced is available in the official language(s) as provided to ICSID by the respective governments.

ICSID publishes a multi-volume loose-leaf collection of Investment Treaties containing the texts of investment treaties and protocols concluded by over 165 countries from 1959 until the present. The Investment Treaties collection has been published since 1986 and is updated three times per year.

This volume celebrates the first 50 years of ICSID by presenting the landmark cases that have been decided under its auspices.

From 1984 to 2009, ICSID published News from ICSID, a newsletter reporting on current events, containing short articles and notes on investment law and arbitration and information about pending ICSID cases.