This is an automatic translation, which is why errors may occur
The main concerns and the position of the association on the consultation can be summarized as follows:
- Direct investment is central to Switzerland: In the small and open Swiss economy, the prosperity of the population and the competitiveness of companies depend directly on integration into global value chains.
- Investment promotion and protection treaties are of essential importance: Foreign investments are not only associated with economic but also with political risks for companies. This makes treaties between states to protect and promote foreign investment all the more important.
- Effective investment protection requires an investor-state arbitration mechanism: Investor-state dispute settlement procedures have proven their worth both for Switzerland and for Swiss companies. They build on existing international structures (ICSID, UNCITRAL) and enable disputes to be resolved in a relatively timely, fact-based and politically independent manner.
- The design of investment protection has been steadily developed in recent years – especially with regard to legal certainty and protection against its abusive application. The association has always supported the corresponding work for the further development of the dispute settlement system.
- SwissHoldings supports the present investment protection agreement with Indonesia: The content of the agreement corresponds to current standards and closes a critical gap in the agreement that arose when Indonesia terminated all bilateral investment protection agreements in 2014. In combination with the free trade agreement of the EFTA states with Indonesia, which will enter into force in 2021, it is expected that the investment protection agreement will significantly strengthen the trade and investment dynamics of Swiss companies in Indonesia in the medium and long term.
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