Canada - Latvia BIT (2009)
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5. Each Contracting Party hereby gives its unconditional consent to the submission of a dispute to international arbitration in accordance with the provisions of this Article.

6.(a) The consent given under paragraph 5, together with either the consent given under paragraph 3, or the consents given under paragraph 12, shall satisfy the requirements for:

(i) Written consent of the parties to a dispute for purpose of Chapter II (Jurisdiction of the Centre) of the ICSID Convention and for purposes of the Additional Facility Rules; andChapter II (Jurisdiction of the Centre) of the ICSID Convention and for purposes of the Additional Facility Rules; and

(ii) An "agreement in writing" for purposes of Article II of the United Nations Convention for the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, done at New York, June 10, 1958 ("New York Convention").

(b) Any arbitration under this Article shall be held in a State that is a party to the New York Convention, and claims submitted to arbitration shall be considered to arise out of a commercial relationship or transaction for the purposes of Article 1 of that Convention.

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

8. A tribunal may order an interim measure of protection to preserve the rights of a disputing party, or to ensure that the tribunal's jurisdiction is made fully effective, including an order to preserve evidence in the possession or control of a disputing party or to protect the tribunal's jurisdiction. A tribunal may not order attachment or enjoin the application of the measure alleged to constitute a breach of this Agreement. For purposes of this paragraph, an order includes a recommendation.

9. A tribunal may award, separately or in combination, only:

(a) Monetary damages and any applicable interest;

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

A tribunal may also award costs in accordance with the applicable arbitration rules.

10. An award of arbitration shall be final and binding and shall be enforceable in the territory of each of the Contracting Parties.

11. Any proceedings under this Article are without prejudice to the rights of the Contracting Parties under Articles XIV and XV.

12.(a) A claim that a Contracting Party is in breach of this Agreement, and that an enterprise that is a juridical person incorporated or duly constituted in accordance with applicable laws of that Contracting Party has incurred loss or damage by reason of, or arising out of, that breach, may be brought by an investor of the other Contracting Party acting on behalf of an enterprise which the investor owns or controls directly or indirectly. In such a case:

(i) Any award shall be made to the affected enterprise;

(ii) The consent to arbitration of both the investor and the enterprise shall be required;

(iii) Both the investor and enterprise must waive any right to initiate or continue any other proceedings in relation to the measure that is alleged to be in breach of this Agreement before the courts or tribunals of the Contracting Party concerned or in a dispute settlement procedure of any kind; and

(iv) The investor may not make a claim if more than three years have elapsed from the date on which the enterprise first acquired, or should have first acquired, knowledge of the alleged breach and knowledge that it has incurred loss or damage.

(b) Notwithstanding subparagraph 12(a), where a disputing Contracting Party has deprived a disputing investor of control of an enterprise, the following shall not be required:

(i) A consent to arbitration by the enterprise under (12)(a)(ii); and

(ii) A waiver from the enterprise under (12)(a)(iii).

13. With respect to:

(a) Financial institutions of a Contracting Party; and

(b) Investors of a Contracting Party, and investments of such investors, in financial institutions in the other Contracting Party's territory,

Article XIII (Settlement of Disputes between an Investor and the Host Contracting Party) applies only in respect of claims that the other Contracting Party has breached an obligation under Article VIII (Expropriation), IX (Transfer of Funds) and XVIII(1) and (2) (Final provisions and Entry into Force).

Article XIV. Consultations and Exchange of Information

1. Either Contracting Party may request consultations on the interpretation or application of this Agreement. The other Contracting Party shall give sympathetic consideration to the request. Upon request by either Contracting Party, information shall be exchanged on the measures of the other Contracting Party that may have an impact on new investments, investments or returns covered by this Agreement.

2. The consultations provided for by this Article shall include consultations concerning any steps that a Contracting Party may consider are necessary to ensure compatibility between this Agreement and the EC Treaty.

Article XV. Disputes between the Contracting Parties

1. Any dispute between the Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall, whenever possible, be settled amicably through consultations.

2. If a dispute cannot be settled through consultations, it shall, at the request of either Contracting Party, be submitted to an arbitral panel for decision.

3. An arbitral panel shall be constituted for each dispute. Within two months after receipt through diplomatic channels of the request for arbitration, each Contracting Party shall appoint one member to the arbitral panel. The two members shall then select a national of a third state who, upon approval by the two Contracting Parties, shall be appointed Chairman of the arbitral panel. The Chairman shall be appointed within two months from the date of appointment of the other two members of the arbitral panel.

4. If within the periods specified in paragraph 3 of this Article the necessary appointments have not been made, either Contracting Party may, in the absence of any other agreement, invite the President of the International Court of Justice to make the necessary appointments. If the President is a national of either Contracting Party or is otherwise prevented from discharging the said function, the Vice-President shall be invited to make the necessary appointments. If the Vice-President is a national of either Contracting Party or is prevented from discharging the said function, the Member of the International Court of Justice next in seniority, who is not a national of either Contracting Party, shall be invited to make the necessary appointments.

5. The arbitral panel shall determine its own procedure. The arbitral panel shall reach its decision by a majority of votes. Such decision shall be binding on both Contracting Parties. Unless otherwise agreed, the decision of the arbitral panel shall be rendered within six months of the appointment of the Chairman in accordance with paragraphs 3 or 4 of this Article.

6. Each Contracting Party shall bear the costs of its own member of the panel and of its representation in the arbitral proceedings; the costs related to the Chairman and any remaining costs shall be borne equally by the Contracting Parties. The arbitral panel may, however, in its decision direct that a higher proportion of costs shall be borne by one of the two Contracting Parties, and this award shall be binding on both Contracting Parties.

7. The Contracting Parties shall, within 60 days of the decision of a panel, reach agreement on the manner in which to resolve their dispute. Such agreement shall normally implement the decision of the panel. If the Contracting Parties fail to reach agreement, the Contracting Party bringing the dispute shall be entitled to compensation or to suspend benefits of equivalent value to those awarded by the panel.

Article XVI. Transparency

1. The Contracting Parties shall, within a two year period after the entry into force of this Agreement, exchange letters listing, to the extent possible, any existing measures that do not conform to the obligations in paragraph 3 of Article II, Article III or paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article V.

2. Each Contracting Party shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that its laws, regulations, procedures, and administrative rulings of general application respecting any matter covered by this Agreement are promptly published or otherwise made available in such a manner as to enable interested persons and the other Contracting Party to become acquainted with them.

Article XVII. Application and General Exceptions

1. This Agreement shall apply to any investment made by an investor of one Contracting Party in the territory of the other Contracting Party before or after the entry into force of this Agreement.

2. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a Contracting Party from adopting, maintaining or enforcing any measure otherwise consistent with this Agreement that it considers appropriate to ensure that investment activity in its territory is undertaken in a manner sensitive to environmental concerns.

3. Subject to the requirement that such measures are not applied in a manner that would constitute arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between investments or between investors, or a disguised restriction on international trade or investment, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a Contracting Party from adopting or enforcing measures necessary:

(a) To ensure compliance with laws and regulations that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement;

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

(c) For the conservation of living or non-living exhaustible natural resources.

4.(a) Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a Contracting Party from adopting or maintaining measures that restrict transfers where the Contracting Party experiences serious balance of payments difficulties, or the threat thereof, and such restrictions are consistent with subparagraph (b).

(b) Measures referred to in subparagraph (a) shall be equitable, neither arbitrary nor unjustifiably discriminatory, in good faith, of limited duration and may not go beyond what is necessary to remedy the balance of payments situation. A Contracting Party that imposes measures under this Article shall inform the other Contracting Party forthwith and present as soon as possible a time schedule for their removal. Such measures shall be taken in accordance with other international obligations of the Contracting Party concerned, including those under the WTO Agreement and the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund.

5. Nothing in this Agreement shall prejudice measures of general application, that are neither arbitrary nor unjustifiably discriminatory, taken by any public entity in pursuit of monetary and related credit policies or exchange rate policies. This paragraph shall not affect a Contracting Party's obligations under Article V(2) (Performance Requirements) or Article IX (Transfer of Funds).

6. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed:

(a) To require any Contracting Party to furnish or allow access to any information the disclosure of which it determines to be contrary to its essential security interests;

(b) To prevent any Contracting Party from taking any actions that it considers necessary for the protection of its essential security interests

(i) Relating to the traffic in arms, ammunition and implements of war and to such traffic and transactions in other goods, materials, services and technology undertaken directly or indirectly for the purpose of supplying a military or other security establishment;

(ii) Taken in time of war or other emergency in international relations; or

(iii) Relating to the implementation of national policies or international agreements respecting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; or

(c) To prevent any Contracting Party from taking action in pursuance of its obligations under the United Nations Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security.

7. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to require a Contracting Party to furnish or allow access to information the disclosure of which would impede law enforcement or would be contrary to the Contracting Party's law protecting Cabinet confidences, personal privacy or the confidentiality of the financial affairs and accounts of individual customers of financial institutions.

8. Any measure adopted by a Contracting Party in conformity with a decision adopted, extended or modified by the World Trade Organization pursuant to Articles IX:3 or IX:4 of the WTO Agreement shall be deemed to be also in conformity with this Agreement. An investor purporting to act pursuant to Article XIII of this Agreement may not claim that such a conforming measure is in breach of this Agreement.

Article XVIII. Final Provisions and Entry Into Force

1. A Contracting Party may deny the benefits of this Agreement to an investor of the other Contracting Party that is an enterprise of such Contracting Party and to investments of such investor if investors of a non-Contracting Party own or control the enterprise and the denying Contracting Party adopts or maintains measures with respect to the non-Contracting Party that prohibit transactions with the enterprise or that would be violated or circumvented if the benefits of this Agreement were accorded to the enterprises or to its investments.

2. Subject to prior notification and consultation in accordance with this Agreement, a Contracting Party may deny the benefits of this Agreement to an investor of the other Contracting Party that is an enterprise of such Contracting Party and to investments of such investors if investors of a non-Contracting Party own or control the enterprise and the enterprise has no substantial business activities in the territory of the Contracting Party under whose law it is constituted.

3. All references in this Agreement to measures of a Contracting Party shall include measures applicable in accordance with EU law in the territory of that Contracting Party pursuant to its membership in the European Union. References to "serious balance-of-payments difficulties, or the threat thereof," shall include serious balance-of-payments difficulties, or the threat thereof, in the economic or monetary union of which a Contracting Party is a member.

4. A Contracting Party's essential security interests may include interests deriving from its membership in a customs, economic, or monetary union, a common market or a free trade area.

5. The Contracting Parties agree that the issue of whether a measure of a Contracting Party is consistent with this Agreement is a matter to be resolved exclusively under the dispute settlement procedures of this Agreement.

6. Each Contracting Party shall notify the other in writing of the completion of the procedures required in its territory for the entry into force of this Agreement. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the latter of the two notifications. Upon the entry into force of this Agreement, the Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Latvia for the Promotion and Protection of Investments of the 26th of April, 1995, shall be terminated except that its provisions shall continue to apply to any dispute between either Contracting Party and an investor of the other Contracting Party that has been submitted to arbitration pursuant to that Agreement by the investor prior to the date that this Agreement enters into force. Apart from any such dispute, this Agreement shall apply to any dispute which has arisen not more than three years prior to its entry into force.

7. This Agreement shall remain in force unless either Contracting Party notifies the other Contracting Party in writing of its intention to terminate it. The termination of this Agreement shall become effective one year after notice of termination has been received by the other Contracting Party. In respect of investments or commitments to invest made prior to the date when the termination of this Agreement becomes effective, the provisions of Articles I to XVII inclusive of this Agreement shall remain in force for a period of fifteen years.

8. The Annexes shall form an integral part of this Agreement.

Conclusion

DONE at , this day of 2009, in two originals, in the English, French and Latvian languages, each version being equally authentic.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA

Attachments

ANNEX A

1. In accordance with Article IV, subparagraph 1(d), Canada reserves the right to make and maintain exceptions in the sectors or matters listed below:

- social services (i.e., public law enforcement; correctional services; income security or insurance; social security or insurance; social welfare; public education; public training; health and child care);

- services in any other sector;

- government securities - as described in SIC 8152;

- residency requirements for ownership of oceanfront land;

- measures implementing the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Oil and Gas Accords.

2. In accordance with Article IV, subparagraph 1(d), Latvia reserves the right to make and maintain exceptions in the sectors or matters listed below:

- acquisition of land (agriculture land and forest land) in towns and rural regions;

- security operations;

- gambling and lotteries;

- fishing.

3. For the purpose of this Annex, “SIC” means, with respect to Canada, Standard Industrial Classification numbers as set out in Statistics Canada, Standard Industrial Classification, fourth edition, 1980.

ANNEX B. Clarification of Indirect Expropriation

Article VIII (Expropriation) of this Agreement states that:

Investments or returns of investors of either Contracting Party shall not be nationalized, expropriated or subjected to measures having an effect equivalent to nationalization or expropriation (hereinafter referred to as "expropriation") in the territory of the other Contracting Party, except for a public purpose, under due process of law, in a non-discriminatory manner and against prompt, adequate and effective compensation…

The Contracting Parties confirm their shared understanding that:

1. The concept of "measures having an effect equivalent to nationalization or expropriation" can also be termed "indirect expropriation." Indirect expropriation results from a measure or series of measures of a Contracting Party that have an effect equivalent to direct expropriation without formal transfer of title or outright seizure.

2. The determination of whether a measure or series of measures of a Contracting Party constitute an indirect expropriation requires a case-by-case, fact-based inquiry that considers, among other factors:

(a) The economic impact of the measure or series of measures, although the sole fact that a measure or series of measures of a Contracting Party have an adverse effect on the economic value of an investment does not establish that an indirect expropriation has occurred;

(b) The extent to which the measure or series of measures interfere with distinct, reasonable, investment-backed expectations; and

(c) The character of the measure or series of measures.

3. Except in rare circumstances, such as when a measure or series of measures are so severe in the light of their purpose that they cannot be reasonably viewed as having been adopted and applied in good faith, non-discriminatory measures of a Contracting Party that are designed and applied to protect legitimate public welfare objectives, such as health, safety and the environment, do not constitute indirect expropriation.

ANNEX C. Settlement of Disputes between an Investor and the Host Contracting Party

I Public Access to Hearings and Documents

1. Hearings held under Article XIII shall be open to the public. To the extent necessary to ensure the protection of confidential information, the Tribunal may hold portions of hearings in camera.Article XIII shall be open to the public. To the extent necessary to ensure the protection of confidential information, the Tribunal may hold portions of hearings in camera.

2. The Tribunal shall establish procedures for the protection of confidential information and appropriate logistical arrangements for open hearings, in consultation with the disputing parties.

3. All documents submitted to, or issued by, the Tribunal shall be publicly available, unless the disputing parties otherwise agree, subject to the deletion of confidential information.

4. Notwithstanding paragraph 3, any Tribunal award under this Section shall be publicly available, subject to the deletion of confidential information.paragraph 3, any Tribunal award under this Section shall be publicly available, subject to the deletion of confidential information.

5. A disputing party may disclose to other persons in connection with the arbitral proceedings such unredacted documents as it considers necessary for the preparation of its case, but it shall ensure that those persons protect the confidential information in such documents.

6. The Contracting Parties may share with officials of their respective sub-national governments all relevant unredacted documents in the course of dispute settlement under this Agreement, but they shall ensure that those persons protect any confidential information in such documents.

7. The Tribunal shall not require a Contracting Party to furnish or allow access to information the disclosure of which would impede law enforcement or would be contrary to the Contracting Party's law protecting Cabinet confidences, personal privacy or the financial affairs and accounts of individual customers of financial institutions, or which it determines to be contrary to its essential security.

8. To the extent that a Tribunal's confidentiality order designates information as confidential and a Contracting Party's law on access to information requires public access to that information, the Contracting Party's law on access to information shall prevail. However, a Contracting Party should endeavour to apply its law on access to information so as to protect information designated confidential by the Tribunal.

II Participation by the Non-Disputing Contracting Party

1. The non-disputing Contracting Party shall be entitled, at its cost, to receive from the disputing Contracting Party a copy of:

(a) The evidence that has been tendered to the Tribunal;

(b) Copies of all pleadings filed in the arbitration; and

(c) The written argument of the disputing parties.

2. The non-disputing Contracting Party receiving information pursuant to paragraph 1 shall treat the information as if it were a disputing Contracting Party.

3. On written notice to the disputing parties, the non-disputing Contracting Party may make submissions to a Tribunal on a question of interpretation of this Agreement.

4. The non-disputing Contracting Party shall have the right to attend any hearings held under this Section, whether or not it makes submissions to the Tribunal.

III Submissions by a Non-Disputing Party

1. Any non-disputing party that is a person of a Contracting Party, or has a significant presence in the territory of a Contracting Party, that wishes to file a written submission with the Tribunal (the "applicant") shall apply for leave from the Tribunal to file such a submission, in accordance with the applicable Guidelines. The applicant shall attach the submission to the application.

2. The applicant shall serve the application for leave to file a non-disputing party submission and the submission on all disputing parties and the Tribunal.

3. The Tribunal shall set an appropriate date for the disputing parties to comment on the application for leave to file a non-disputing party submission.

4. In determining whether to grant leave to file a non-disputing party submission, the Tribunal shall consider, among other things, the extent to which:

(a) The non-disputing party submission would assist the Tribunal in the determination of a factual or legal issue related to the arbitration by bringing a perspective, particular knowledge or insight that is different from that of the disputing parties;

(b) The non-disputing party submission would address a matter within the scope of the dispute;

(c) The non-disputing party has a significant interest in the arbitration; and

(d) There is a public interest in the subject-matter of the arbitration.

5. The Tribunal shall ensure that:

(a) Any non-disputing party submission avoids disrupting the proceedings; and

(b) Neither disputing party is unduly burdened or unfairly prejudiced by such submissions.

6. The Tribunal shall decide whether to grant leave to file a non-disputing party submission. If leave to file a non-disputing party submission is granted, the Tribunal shall set an appropriate date for the disputing parties to respond in writing to the non-disputing party submission. By that date, the non-disputing Contracting Party may, pursuant to the provisions of this Annex pertaining to Participation by the Non-Disputing Contracting Party, address any issues of interpretation of this Agreement presented in the non-disputing party submission.Annex pertaining to Participation by the Non-Disputing Contracting Party, address any issues of interpretation of this Agreement presented in the non-disputing party submission.

7. A Tribunal that grants leave to file a non-disputing party submission is not required to address the submission at any point in the arbitration, nor is the non-disputing party that files the submission entitled to make further submissions in the arbitration.

8. Access to hearings and documents by non-disputing parties that file applications under these procedures will be governed by the provisions of this Annex pertaining to Public Access to Hearings and Documents.Annex pertaining to Public Access to Hearings and Documents.

IV Guidelines for Submissions by a Non-Disputing Party

1. The application for leave to file a non-disputing party submission shall:

(a) Be made in writing, dated and signed by the person filing the application, and include the address and other contact details of the applicant;

(b) Be no longer than 5 typed pages;

(c) Describe the applicant, including, where relevant, its membership and legal status (e.g., company, trade association or other non-governmental organization), its general objectives, the nature of its activities, and any parent organization (including any organization that directly or indirectly controls the applicant);

(d) Disclose whether or not the applicant has any affiliation, direct or indirect, with any disputing party;

(e) Identify any government, person or organization that has provided any financial or other assistance in preparing the submission;

(f) Specify the nature of the interest that the applicant has in the arbitration;

(g) Identify the specific issues of fact or law in the arbitration that the applicant has addressed in its written submission;

(h) Explain, by reference to the factors specified in paragraph 4 of the provisions of this Annex pertaining to Submissions by a Non-Disputing Party, why the Tribunal should accept the submission; andAnnex pertaining to Submissions by a Non-Disputing Party, why the Tribunal should accept the submission; and

(i) Be made in a language of the arbitration.

2. The submission filed by a non-disputing party shall:

(a) Be dated and signed by the person filing the submission;

(b) Be concise, and in no case longer than 20 typed pages, including any appendices;

(c) Set out a precise statement supporting the applicant's position on the issues; and

(d) Only address matters within the scope of the dispute.

ANNEX D

In the event that ICSID, UNCITRAL or any other body relevant to the procedures established under this Agreement for the settlement of investor-state disputes amend their respective rules encompassing those covered by Annex C to this Agreement, the Contracting Parties agree to work cooperatively to consider means to enhance the consistency between Annex C and the amended rules.

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