Myanmar - Singapore BIT (2019)
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(b) Article II of the New York Convention for an "agreement in writing".

5. A claim that is submitted for arbitration under this Section shall be considered to arise out of a commercial relationship or transaction for purposes of Article I of the New York Convention.

Article 13. Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal

1. Unless the disputing parties otherwise agree, the arbitral tribunal shall be composed of three arbitrators, who shall not be nationals or permanent residents of either Party. Each disputing party shall appoint one arbitrator and the disputing parties shall agree upon a third arbitrator, who shall be the chairman of the arbitral tribunal. If an arbitral tribunal has not been established within 90 days from the date on which the claim was submitted to arbitration, either because a disputing party failed to appoint an arbitrator or because the disputing parties failed to agree upon the chairman, the Secretary-General of ICSID, upon request of either disputing party, shall appoint, at his or her own discretion, the arbitrator or arbitrators not yet appointed. If the Secretary-General is a national or permanent resident of either Party, or he or she is otherwise unable to act, the Deputy Secretary-General of ICSID, who is not a national or permanent resident of either Party, may be invited to make the necessary appointments.

2: The arbitrators shall:

(a) have experience or expertise in public international law or international investment law; and

(b) be independent from the Parties and the disputing investor, and not be affiliated to or receive instructions from any of them.

Article 14. Place of Arbitration

Unless the disputing parties otherwise agree, the tribunal shall determine the place of arbitration in accordance with the applicable arbitration rules, provided that the place shall be in the territory of a State that is a party to the New York Convention.

Article 15. The Arbitral Proceedings

1. A tribunal established under this Section shall decide the issues in dispute in accordance with this Agreement and the applicable rules and principles of international law.

2. Without prejudice to a tribunal's authority to address other objections as a preliminary question, such as an objection that a dispute is not within the competence of the tribunal, a tribunal shall address and decide as a preliminary question any objection by the respondent Party that, as a matter of law, a claim submitted is not a claim for which an award in favour of the disputing investor may be made under Article 18 (Award).

(a) Such objection shall be submitted to the tribunal as soon as possible after the tribunal is constituted, and in no event later than the date the tribunal fixes for the respondent Party to submit its counter-memorial (or, in the case of an amendment to the notice of arbitration, the date the tribunal fixes for the respondent Party to submit its response to the amendment).

(b) On receipt of an objection under this paragraph, the tribunal shall suspend any proceedings on the merits, establish a schedule for considering the objection consistent with any schedule it has established for considering any other preliminary question, and issue a decision or award on the objection, stating the grounds therefor.

(c) In deciding an objection under this paragraph, the tribunal shall assume to be true the disputing investor's factual allegations in support of any claim in the notice of arbitration (or any amendment thereof) and, in disputes brought under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, the statement of claim referred to in the relevant article of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. The tribunal may also consider any relevant facts not in dispute.

(d) The respondent Party does not waive any objection as to competence or any argument on the merits merely because the respondent Party did or did not raise an objection under this paragraph or make use of the expedited procedure set out in paragraph 3.

3. In the event that the respondent Party so requests within 45 days after the tribunal is constituted, the tribunal shall decide on an expedited basis an objection under paragraph 2and any objection that the dispute is not within the tribunal's competence. The tribunal shall suspend any proceedings on the merits and issue a decision or award on the objection(s), stating the grounds therefor, no later than 150 days after the date of the request. However, ifa disputing party requests a hearing, the tribunal may take an additional 30 days to issue the decision or award. Regardless of whether a hearing is requested, a tribunal may, on a showing of extraordinary cause, delay issuing its decision or award by an additional brief period, which may not exceed 30 days.

4, When deciding the respondent Party's objection under paragraph 2 or 3, the tribunal may, if warranted, award to the prevailing disputing party reasonable costs and attorney's fees incurred in submitting or opposing the objection. In determining whether such an award is warranted, the tribunal shall consider whether either the claim of the disputing investor or the respondent Party's objection was frivolous, and shall provide the disputing parties a reasonable opportunity to comment.

Article 16. Interim Measures of Protection

Neither Party shall prevent the disputing investor from seeking interim measures of protection, not involving the payment of damages or resolution of the substance of the matter in dispute, before the courts or administrative tribunals of the respondent Party, prior to the institution of proceedings before any of the dispute settlement fora referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 12 (Institution of Arbitral Proceedings), for the preservation of its rights and interests,

Article 17. Diplomatic Protection

Neither Party shall give diplomatic protection, or bring an international claim, in respect of a dispute which one of its investors and the other Party shall have consented to submit or have submitted to arbitration under this Section, unless such other Party has failed to abide by and comply with the award rendered in such dispute. Diplomatic protection, for the purposes of this Article, shall not include informal diplomatic exchanges for the sole purpose of facilitating a settlement of the dispute.

Article 18. Award

1. Where a tribunal makes a final award against a respondent Party, the tribunal may award, separately or in combination, only:

(a) monetary damages and any applicable interest; and

(b) restitution of property, in which case the award shall provide that the respondent Party may pay monetary damages and any applicable interest in lieu of restitution.

A tribunal may also award costs and attorney's fees in accordance with this Section and the applicable arbitration rules.

2. An award made by a tribunal shall be final and binding upon the disputing parties. Each Party shall ensure the recognition and enforcement of the award in accordance with its relevant laws and regulations.

3. Where a claim is submitted on behalf of an enterprise of the respondent Party, the arbitral award shall be made to the enterprise.

4. In any arbitration conducted under this Section, at the request of a disputing party, a tribunal shall, before issuing a decision or award on liability, transmit its proposed decision or award to the disputing parties. Within 60 days after the tribunal transmits its proposed decision or award, the disputing parties may submit written comments to the tribunal concerning any aspect of the proposed decision or award. The tribunal shall consider any such comments and issue its decision or award not later than 45 days after the expiration of the 60-day comment period.

Article 19. Consolidation

1. Where two or more claims have been submitted separately to arbitration under this Section, and the claims raised have a question of law or fact in common and arise out of the same events or circumstances, any disputing party may seek a consolidation order, in accordance with the agreement of all the disputing parties sought to be covered by the order or the terms of this Article.

2. A disputing party that seeks a consolidation order under this Article shall deliver, in writing, a request to the Secretary-General of ICSID and to all the disputing parties sought to be covered by the order, specifying the name and address of each of the disputing parties sought to be covered by the order; the nature of the order sought; and the grounds on which the order is sought.

3. Unless the Secretary-General of ICSID finds within 30 days after receiving a request in conformity with paragraph 2 that the request is manifestly unfounded, a tribunal shall be established under this Article.

4. Unless all the disputing parties sought to be covered by the consolidation order otherwise agree, the tribunal established under this Article shall comprise 3 arbitrators, who shall not be nationals or permanent residents of either Party, and who shall be appointed as follows:

(a) one arbitrator appointed by agreement of the disputing investors;

(b) one arbitrator appointed by the respondent Party; and

(c) the chairman of the arbitral tribunal appointed by the Secretary-General of ICSID.

5. If, within the 60 days after the Secretary-General of ICSID receives a request made under paragraph 2, the respondent Party fails or the disputing investors fail to appoint an arbitrator in accordance with paragraph 4, the Secretary-General of ICSID, on request of any disputing party sought to be covered by the order, shall appoint the arbitrator or arbitrators not yet appointed.

6. Where a tribunal established under this Article is satisfied that two or more claims that have been submitted to arbitration in accordance with Article 12 (Institution of Arbitral Proceedings), have a question of law or fact in common, and arise out of the same events or circumstances, the tribunal may, in the interest of fair and efficient resolution of the claims, and after hearing the disputing parties, by order:

(a) assume jurisdiction over, and hear and determine together, all or part of the claims;

(b) assume jurisdiction over, and hear and determine one or more claims, whose determination it considers would assist in the resolution of the other claims; or

(c) instruct a tribunal previously established under Article 13 (Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal) to assume jurisdiction over and to hear and determine together, all or part of the claims, provided that:

(i) that tribunal, at the request of any disputing investor, not previously a disputing party before that tribunal, shall be reconstituted with its original members, except that the arbitrator for the disputing investors shall be appointed pursuant to paragraphs 4(a) and 5; and

(ii) that tribunal shall decide whether any previous hearing must be repeated.

7. Where a tribunal has been established under this Article, a disputing investor that has submitted a claim to arbitration pursuant to Article 12 (Institution of Arbitral Proceedings) and that has not been named in a request made under paragraph 2, may make a written request to the tribunal that it be included in any order issued under paragraph 6, specifying:

(a) the name and address of the disputing investor; (b) the nature of the order sought; and (c) the grounds on which the order is sought.

The claimant shall provide the Secretary-General of ICSID with a copy of such written request.

8. A tribunal established pursuant to this Article shall conduct the proceedings in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, except as modified by this Section.

9. A tribunal established under Article 13 (Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal) shall not have jurisdiction to decide a claim or a part of a claim over which a tribunal established or instructed under this Article has assumed jurisdiction.

10. On application of a disputing party, a tribunal established pursuant to this Article may, pending its decision under paragraph 6, order that the proceedings of a tribunal established under Article 13 (Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal) be stayed, unless the latter tribunal has already adjourned its proceedings.

Section TWO. Settlement of Disputes Betweenthe Parties

Article 20. Scope

1. This Section applies to the settlement of disputes between the Parties arising from the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Agreement.

2. This Section shall not apply to any dispute concerning any measure adopted or maintained or any treatment accorded to investors or investments by a Party in respect of tobacco or tobacco-related products. (12)

(12) For the purpose of this Agreement, "tobacco or tobacco-related products" means products under Harmonised System Chapter 24 (Tobacco and Manufactured Tobacco Substitutes) and tobacco- related products falling outside Harmonised System Chapter 24 (Tobacco and Manufactured Tobacco Substitutes).

Article 21. Consultations and Negotiations

1. Either Party may request in writing, consultations on the interpretation or application of this Agreement. If a dispute arises between the Parties on the interpretation or application of this Agreement, it shall, to the extent possible, be settled amicably through consultations and negotiations.

2. In the event the dispute is not settled through the means mentioned above within 6 months from the date such negotiations or consultations were requested in writing, then, unless the Parties agree otherwise, either Party may submit such dispute to an arbitral tribunal established in accordance with this Section or, by agreement of the Parties, to any other international tribunal.

Article 22. Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal

1. Arbitration proceedings shall initiate upon written notice delivered by one Party (hereinafter referred to as "requesting Party") to the other Party (hereinafter referred to as "respondent Party") through diplomatic channels. Such notice shall contain a statement setting forth the provisions of Chapter II (Protection) alleged to have been breached, the legal and factual grounds of the claim, a summary of the development and results of the consultations and negotiations pursuant to Article 21 (Consultations and Negotiations), the requesting Party's intention to initiate proceedings under this Section, and the name of the arbitrator appointed by such requesting Party.

2. Within 30 days after delivery of such notice, the respondent Party shall notify the requesting Party the name of its appointed arbitrator.

3. Within 30 days following the date on which the second arbitrator was appointed, the Parties shall appoint, by mutual agreement, a third arbitrator, who shall be the chairman of the arbitral tribunal. In the event that the Parties fail to mutually agree on the appointment of the third arbitrator, the arbitrators appointed by the Parties shall, within 30 days, appoint the third arbitrator, who shall be the chairman of the arbitral tribunal.

4. The arbitrators shall:

(a) have experience or expertise in public international law or international investment law; and

(b) be independent from the Parties, and not be affiliated to or receive instructions from either of them.

5. With regard to the selection of arbitrators under paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article, both Parties and, where relevant, the arbitrators appointed by them, shall not select arbitrators that are nationals or permanent residents of either Party.

6. If the required appointments have not been made: within the time limits set forth in paragraphs 2 and 3 above, either Party may invite the President of the International Court of Justice to appoint the arbitrator or arbitrators not yet appointed. If the President is a national or a permanent resident of either Party, or he or she is otherwise unable to act, the Vice- President of the International Court of Justice shall be invited to make the said appointments. If the Vice-President of the International Court of Justice is a national or a permanent resident of either Party, or he or she is otherwise unable to act, the Member of the International Court of Justice next in seniority who is not a national nor a permanent resident of either Party shall be invited to make the necessary appointments.

7. In the event an arbitrator appointed under this Article resigns or becomes unable to act, a successor shall be appointed in the same manner as prescribed for the appointment of the original arbitrator, and he or she shall have the same powers and duties that the original arbitrator had.

8. Each Party shall bear the costs of its appointed arbitrator and of any legal representation in the proceedings. The costs of the chairman of the arbitral tribunal and of other expenses associated with the conduct of the arbitration shall be borne equally by the Parties, unless the arbitral tribunal decides that a higher proportion of costs be borne by one of the Parties.

Article 23. Place of Arbitration

Unless the Parties agree otherwise, the place of arbitration shall be determined by the arbitral tribunal.

Article 24. The Arbitral Proceedings

1. An arbitral tribunal established under this Section shall decide all questions relating to its competence and, subject to any agreement between the Parties, determine its own procedure. At any stage of the proceedings, the arbitral tribunal may propose to the Parties that the dispute be settled amicably. At all times, the arbitral tribunal shall afford a fair hearing to the Parties.

2. The arbitral tribunal shall decide the issues in dispute in accordance with this Agreement and the applicable rules and principles of international law.

3. The arbitral tribunal shall reach its decision by majority vote. The award shall be issued in writing and shall contain the applicable factual and legal findings. A signed award shall be delivered to each Party. The award shall be final and binding on the Parties.

Chapter IV. Final Provisions

Article 25. Other Obligations

If the legislation of either Party or international obligations existing at present or established hereafter between the Parties in addition to this Agreement, results in a position entitling investments by investors of the other Party to treatment more favourable than is provided for by this Agreement, such position shall not be affected by this Agreement.

Article 26. Denial of Benefits

Subject to prior notification and consultation, a Party may deny the benefits of this Agreement to an investor of the other Party that is an enterprise of such Party and to investments of such an investor where the denying Party establishes that the enterprise is owned or controlled by persons of a non-Party, or of the denying Party, and has no substantive business operations in the territory of the other Party.

Article 27. Transparency

1. Each Party shall ensure that its laws, regulations, and administrative rulings of general application pertaining to or affecting any matter covered by this Agreement are promptly published or otherwise made available in such a manner as to enable interested persons or the other Party to become acquainted with them, International agreements pertaining to or affecting investors or investment activities to which a Party is a signatory shall also be published.

2. To the extent possible, each Party shall make the measures and international agreements of the kind referred to in paragraph 1 available on the internet. Each Party shall, upon request by the other Party, promptly respond to specific questions from and provide information to the other Party with respect to matters referred to in paragraph 1.

Article 28. Information Requirements and Disclosure of Information

1. Notwithstanding Article 4 (National Treatment) or Article 5 (Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment), a Party may require an investor of the other Party, or its investment, to provide information concerning that investment solely for informational or statistical purposes. The Party shall protect such business information that is confidential from any disclosure that would prejudice the competitive position of the investor or its investment. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent a Party from otherwise obtaining or disclosing information in connection with the equitable and good faith application of its law.

2 Nothing in this Agreement shall require either Party to provide confidential information the disclosure of which would impede law enforcement, or otherwise be contrary to the public interest, or which would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of particular enterprises, public or private.

Article 29. General Exceptions (13)

Subject to the requirement that such measures are not applied in a manner which would constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination against the other Party or its investors where like conditions prevail, or a disguised restriction on investments of investors of the other Party in the territory of a Party, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent the adoption or enforcement by a Party of measures:

(a) necessary to protect public morals or to maintain public order; (14)

(b) necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health;

(c) necessary to secure compliance with laws or regulations which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement including those relating to:

(i) the prevention of deceptive and fraudulent practices or to deal with the effects of a default on a contract;

(ii) the protection of the privacy of individuals in relation to the processing and dissemination of personal data and the protection of confidentiality of individual records and accounts;

(iii) safety;

(d) imposed for the protection of national treasures of artistic, historic or archaeological value;

(e) relating to the conservation of exhaustible natural resources if such measures are made effective in conjunction with restrictions on domestic production or consumption; or

(f) aimed at ensuring the equitable or effective (15) imposition or collection of direct taxes in respect of investments of investors of a Party.

(13) For greater certainty, the application of the general exceptions to these provisions shall not be interpreted so as to diminish the ability of governments to take measures where investors are not in like circumstances due to the existence of legitimate regulatory objectives.
(14) The public order exception may be invoked only where a genuine and sufficiently serious threat is posed to one of the fundamental interests of society.
(15) For the purpose of this sub-paragraph, footnote 6 of Article XIV of the General Agreement on Trade in Services in Annex 1B to the WTO Agreement (GATS) is incorporated into and forms an integral part of this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.

Article 30. Security Exceptions (16)

Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to:

(a) require a Party to furnish any information, the disclosure of which it considers contrary to its essential security interests; or

(b) preclude a Party from applying measures that it considers necessary for the fulfilment of its obligations with respect to the maintenance or restoration of international peace or security, or the protection of its own essential security interests.

(16) For greater certainty, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent a Party from taking any action which it considers necessary for the protection of critical public infrastructure, such as the communications, power, water and transportation infrastructure, including but not limited to imposing restrictions on operators of such infrastructure and preventing deliberate attempts intended to disable or degrade such infrastructure.

Article 31. Taxation

1. Article 6 (Expropriation) and Section One (Settlement of Disputes between a Party and an Investor of the Other Party) of Chapter III (Dispute Settlement) shall apply to taxation measures to the extent that such taxation measures constitute expropriation as provided for in Article 6 (Expropriation), provided that they are inconsistent with Article 4 (National Treatment). (17) An investor that seeks to invoke Article 6 (Expropriation) with respect to a taxation measure must first refer to the competent taxation authorities of both Parties as described in paragraph 2, at the time that it gives notice under Section One (Settlement of Disputes between a Party and an Investor of the other Party) of Chapter III (Dispute Settlement), the issue of whether that taxation measure involves an expropriation as provided for under Article 6 (Expropriation). If the competent taxation authorities of both Parties do not agree to consider the issue or, having agreed to consider it, fail to agree that the measure is not an expropriation as provided for under Article 6 (Expropriation) within a period of 6 months of such referral, the investor may submit its claim to arbitration under Section One (Settlement of Disputes between a Party and an Investor of the Other Party) of Chapter III (Dispute Settlement).

2. For the purposes of this Article, "competent taxation authorities" means:

(a) in the case of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Ministry of Planning and Finance; and

(b) in the case of the Republic of Singapore, the Ministry of Finance; or their successors.

(17) With reference to Article 6 (Expropriation), in assessing whether a taxation measure constitutes expropriation, the following apply: (i) the imposition of taxes does not generally constitute expropriation. The mere introduction of new taxation measures or the imposition of taxes in more than one jurisdiction in respect of an investment, does not in and of itself constitute expropriation; and (ii) taxation measures which are consistent with internationally recognised tax policies, principles and practices do not constitute expropriation. In particular, taxation measures aimed at preventing the avoidance or evasion of taxes should not, generally, be considered to be expropriatory.

Article 32. Entry Into Force, Duration and Termination

1. Each Party shall notify the other Party of the fulfilment of its internal legal procedures required for the entry into force of this Agreement. This Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day from the date of notification of the later Party.

2. This Agreement, including its Annexes, may be amended by mutual consent of the Parties in writing. The amendments shall enter into force in accordance with the same legal procedure prescribed under paragraph 1.

3. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of 10 years and shall continue in force thereafter unless, after the expiry of the initial period of 9 years, either Party notifies the other Party in writing of its intention to terminate this Agreement. The notice of termination shall become effective one year after it has been received by the other Party.

4. In respect of investments made prior to the date when the notice of termination of this Agreement becomes effective, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in force for a further period of 10 years from that date.

Conclusion

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

DONE in duplicate at Yangon, on this 24" day of September, 2019 in English.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR

THAUNG TUN

Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

CHAN CHUN SING

Minister for Trade and Industry

Attachments

ANNEX I. National treatment

Article 4 (National Treatment) shall not apply to any measure relating to:

(a) for Singapore:

(i) the collection, purification, treatment, disposal, and distribution of water, including waste water, in Singapore; and

(ii) real estate, including but not limited to the ownership, purchase, development, management, maintenance, use, enjoyment, sale or other disposal of real estate, in Singapore;

(b) for Myanmar:

ownership, sale, purchase, development and management of land.

ANNEX II. Expropriation

The Parties confirm their shared understanding that:

1. An action or a series of actions by a Party cannot constitute an expropriation unless it interferes with a tangible or intangible property right or property interest in an investment.

2. Paragraph 1 of Article 6 (Expropriation) addresses two situations. The first is direct expropriation, where an investment is nationalised or otherwise directly expropriated through formal transfer of title or outright seizure.

3. The second situation addressed by paragraph 1 of Article 6 (Expropriation) is indirect expropriation, where an action or series of actions by a Party has an effect equivalent to direct expropriation without formal transfer of title or outright seizure.

(a) The determination of whether an action or series of actions by a Party, in a specific fact situation, constitutes an indirect expropriation, requires a case-by- case, fact-based inquiry that considers, among other factors:

(i) the economic impact of the government action, although the fact that an action or series of actions by a Party has an adverse effect on the economic value of an investment, standing alone, does not establish that an indirect expropriation has occurred;

(ii) the extent to which the government action interferes with distinct, reasonable investment-backed expectations; and

(iii) the character of the government action.

(b) Except in rare circumstances, non-discriminatory regulatory actions by a Party that are designed and applied to protect legitimate public welfare objectives, such as public health, safety and the environment, do not constitute indirect expropriations.

Previous page Page 2
  • Chapter   I General Provisions 1
  • Article   1 Definitions 1
  • Article   2 Applicability of Agreement (5) 1
  • Chapter   II Protection 1
  • Article   3 Minimum Standard of Treatment 1
  • Article   4 National Treatment (7) 1
  • Article   5 Most-favoured-nation Treatment 1
  • Article   6 Expropriation (9) 1
  • Article   7 Compensation for Losses 1
  • Article   8 Transfers 1
  • Article   9 Restrictions to Safeguard the Balance of Payments 1
  • Article   10 Subrogation 1
  • Chapter   III Dispute Settlement 1
  • Section   ONE Settlement of Disputes between a Party and an Investor of the other Party 1
  • Article   11 Scope 1
  • Article   12 Institution of Arbitral Proceedings 1
  • Article   13 Constitution of the arbitral tribunal 2
  • Article   14 Place of arbitration 2
  • Article   15 The arbitral proceedings 2
  • Article   16 Interim measures of protection 2
  • Article   17 Diplomatic protection 2
  • Article   18 Award 2
  • Article   19 Consolidation 2
  • Section   TWO Settlement of disputes betweenthe parties 2
  • Article   20 Scope 2
  • Article   21 Consultations and negotiations 2
  • Article   22 Constitution of the arbitral tribunal 2
  • Article   23 Place of arbitration 2
  • Article   24 The arbitral proceedings 2
  • Chapter   IV Final provisions 2
  • Article   25 Other obligations 2
  • Article   26 Denial of benefits 2
  • Article   27 Transparency 2
  • Article   28 Information requirements and disclosure of information 2
  • Article   29 General exceptions (13) 2
  • Article   30 Security exceptions (16) 2
  • Article   31 Taxation 2
  • Article   32 Entry into force, duration and termination 2
  • ANNEX I  National treatment 2
  • ANNEX II  Expropriation 2