Public International Law Notes

An assets action: English High Court dismisses state immunity arguments, issuing final charging orders in favour of arbitration award debt

English High Court imposes final charging orders on residential properties owned by the Nigeria High Commission in London to satisfy arbitral award.

EU signs the Mauritius Convention on Transparency in Investor-State Arbitration

The European Union signed the United Nations Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration on 2 July 2024 after the Council of …

ICSID publishes study on compliance with and enforcement of ICSID arbitration awards, revealing high satisfaction rates for award creditors

The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has recently published a comprehensive study based on an analysis of 565 …

ITLOS issues its groundbreaking advisory opinion on marine pollution caused by greenhouse gases: implications for States, legislators and private actors

On 21 May 2024, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea issued its much anticipated advisory opinion on the obligations of States to preserve …

45th Annual FA Mann Lecture, 19 November 2024: Justice of the Supreme Court, The Right Hon Lord Sales - "Purpose in Law and in Interpretation"

The partners of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP are pleased to announce the 45th FA Mann Lecture

Equatorial Guinea becomes the 166th signatory of the ICSID Convention

An ICSID press release confirmed on 13 June 2024 that the central African state joins the list of African states who have signed the ICSID Convention.

UK notifies withdrawal from Energy Charter Treaty

  The UK has formally notified its withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), the multilateral treaty covering the energy sector. The treaty …

Sovereign Immunity Prevails: UK Supreme Court Rules in Favour of South Africa in Silver Salvage Case

Inter-American Court of Human Rights enforces the human right to a healthy environment

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has issued a landmark decision regarding the right to a healthy environment. In the judgment published …

English Court enforces written waiver of immunity from execution in arbitration agreement

In General Dynamics United Kingdom Ltd v The State of Libya [2024] EWHC 472 (Comm), the English High Court (the Court) granted a final charging order …

European Court Of Human Rights finds first violation of Convention rights based on climate change

The European Court of Human Rights (“ECtHR“) has delivered three highly anticipated judgments on the application of the European Convention on Human …

ICSID releases its background paper on annulment: Growth in the number of proceedings with a low annulment rate

On 11 March 2024, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) published its most recent Background Paper on the annulment …