Press Release: EU takes key step to provide legal certainty for foreign investors

The European Commission took an important step on 21 June 2012 to protect foreign investors at the EU level, thereby ensuring that Europe continues to be a safe and attractive place for investment by foreign companies.

The proposal establishes a legal and financial framework for "investor to state dispute settlement" as part of a broad investment policy which has become an exclusive EU competence under the Lisbon Treaty. It is a further step in the creation of a comprehensive EU investment policy which will allow the EU to negotiate investment protection agreements at the European level.