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Investment > Bilateral Investment Treaties > Canada – Uruguay > Annexes |
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for the Promotion and Protection of Investments THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EASTERN REPUBLIC OF URUGUAY, hereinafter referred to as the "Contracting Parties", RECOGNIZING that the promotion and the protection of investments of investors of one Contracting Party in the territory of the other Contracting Party will be conducive to the stimulation of business initiative and to the development of economic cooperation between them, HAVE AGREED as follows: ARTICLE I: Definitions For the purpose of this Agreement: "enterprise" means: any entity constituted or organized under applicable law, whether or not for profit, whether privately-owned or governmentally-owned, including any corporation, trust, partnership, sole proprietorship, joint venture or other association; and a branch of any such entity; "existing measure" means a measure existing at the time this Agreement enters into force; "intellectual property rights" means copyright and related rights, trademark rights, patent rights, rights in layout designs of semiconductor integrated circuits, trade secret rights, plant breeders' rights, rights in geographical indications and industrial design rights; "investment" means any kind of asset owned or controlled either directly, or indirectly through an investor of a third State, by an investor of one Contracting Party in the territory of the other Contracting Party in accordance with the latter's laws and, in particular, though not exclusively, includes: movable and immovable property and any related property rights, such as mortgages, liens or pledges; shares, stock, bonds and debentures or any other form of participation in a company, business enterprise or joint venture; money, claims to money, and claims to performance under contract having a financial value; goodwill; intellectual property rights; rights, conferred by law or under contract, to undertake any economic and commercial activity, including any rights to search for, cultivate, extract or exploit natural resources. but does not mean real estate or other property, tangible or intangible, not acquired in the expectation or used for the purpose of economic benefit or other business purposes. For further certainty, an investment shall be considered to be controlled by an investor if the investor controls, directly or indirectly, the enterprise which owns the investment. Any change in the form of an investment does not affect its character as an investment. "investor" means in the case of Canada: any natural person possessing the citizenship of or permanently residing in Canada in accordance with its laws; or any enterprise incorporated or duly constituted in accordance with
applicable laws of Canada, in the case of Uruguay:
any natural person possessing the citizenship of Uruguay in accordance with its laws; or "measure" includes any law, regulation, procedure, requirement, or practice; "returns" means all amounts yielded by an investment and in particular, though not exclusively, includes profits, interest, capital gains, dividends, royalties, fees or other current income; "state enterprise" means an enterprise that is governmentally-owned or controlled through ownership interests by a government; "territory" means, in respect of a Contracting Party, the territory of that Contracting Party, as well as those maritime areas, including the seabed and subsoil adjacent to the outer limit of the territorial sea, over which that Contracting Party exercises, in accordance with international law, sovereign rights for the purpose of exploration and exploitation of the natural resources of such areas. ARTICLE II: Promotion and Protection of Investments Each Contracting Party shall encourage the creation of favourable conditions for investors of the other Contracting Party to make investments in its territory. Each Contracting Party shall accord investments or returns of investors of the other Contracting Party
ARTICLE III: Establishment of Investment Each Contracting Party shall permit establishment of a new enterprise or acquisition of an existing business enterprise or a share of such enterprise by investors or prospective investors of the other Contracting Party on a basis no less favourable than that which, in like circumstances, it permits such acquisition or establishment by: investors or prospective investors of any third state; its own investors or prospective investors. ARTICLE IV: Treatment of Established Investment
investors of any third State; its own investors. investors of any third State; its own investors. ARTICLE V: Management, Directors and Entry of Personnel A Contracting Party may not require that an enterprise of that Contracting Party, that is an investment under this Agreement, appoint to senior management positions individuals of any particular nationality. A Contracting Party may require that a majority of the board of directors, or any committee thereof, of an enterprise that is an investment under this Agreement be of a particular nationality, or resident in the territory of the Contracting Party, provided that the requirement does not materially impair the ability of the investor to exercise control over its investment. Subject to its laws, regulations and policies relating to the entry of aliens, each Contracting Party shall grant temporary entry to citizens of the other Contracting Party employed by an enterprise who seeks to render services to that enterprise or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof, in a capacity that is managerial or executive or requires specialized knowledge. ARTICLE VI: Performance Requirements Neither Contracting Party may impose any of the following requirements in connection with permitting the establishment or acquisition of an investment or enforce any of the following requirements in connection with the subsequent regulation of that investment: to export a given level or percentage of goods; to achieve a given level or percentage of domestic content; to purchase, use or accord a preference to goods produced or services provided in its territory, or to purchase goods or services from persons in its territory; to relate in any way the volume or value of imports to the volume or value of exports or to the amount of foreign exchange inflows associated with such investment; or to transfer technology, a production process or other proprietary knowledge to a person in its territory unaffiliated with the transferor, except when the requirement is imposed or the commitment or undertaking is enforced by a court, administrative tribunal or competition authority, either to remedy an alleged violation of competition laws or acting in a manner not inconsistent with other provisions of this Agreement. ARTICLE VII: Compensation for Losses Investors of one Contracting Party who suffer losses because their investments or returns on the territory of the other Contracting Party are affected by an armed conflict, a national emergency or a natural disaster on that territory, shall be accorded by such latter Contracting Party, in respect of restitution, indemnification, compensation or other settlement, treatment no less favourable than that which it accords to its own investors or to investors of any third State.
ARTICLE VIII: Expropriation 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. Such compensation shall be based on the fair market value of the investment or returns expropriated immediately before the expropriation or at the time the proposed expropriation became public knowledge, whichever is the earlier, shall be payable from the date of expropriation with interest at a normal commercial rate, shall be paid without delay and shall be effectively realizable and freely transferable. Valuation criteria shall include going concern value, asset value including declared tax value of tangible property, and other criteria, as appropriate, to determine fair market value. The investor affected shall have a right, under the law of the Contracting Party making the expropriation, to prompt review, by a judicial or other independent authority of that Party, of its case and of the valuation of its investment or returns in accordance with the principles set out in this Article. The provisions of this Article apply to taxation measures unless the taxation authorities of the Contracting Parties, no later than six months after being notified by an investor that he disputes a taxation measure, jointly determine that the measure in question is not an expropriation.
ARTICLE IX: Transfer of Funds Each Contracting Party shall guarantee to an investor of the other Contracting Party the unrestricted transfer of investments and returns. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Contracting Party shall also guarantee to the investor the unrestricted transfer of:
Transfers shall be effected without delay in the convertible currency in which the capital was originally invested or in any other convertible currency agreed by the investor and the Contracting Party concerned. Unless otherwise agreed by the investor, transfers shall be made at the rate of exchange applicable on the date of transfer.
ARTICLE X: Subrogation If a Contracting Party or any agency thereof makes a payment to any of its investors under a guarantee or a contract of insurance it has entered into in respect of an investment, the other Contracting Party shall recognize the validity of the subrogation in favour of such Contracting Party or agency thereof to any right or title held by the investor. A Contracting Party or any agency thereof which is subrogated to the rights of an investor in accordance with Paragraph 1 of this Article, shall be entitled in all circumstances to the same rights as those of the investor in respect of the investment concerned and its related returns. Such rights may be exercised by the Contracting Party or any agency thereof or by the investor if the Contracting Party or any agency thereof so authorizes.
ARTICLE XI: Taxation Measures Except where express reference is made thereto, nothing in this Agreement shall apply to taxation measures. For further certainty, nothing in this Agreement shall affect the rights and obligations of the Contracting Parties under any tax convention. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and any such convention, the provisions of that convention shall apply to the extent of the inconsistency. A claim by an investor that a tax measure of a Contracting Party is in breach of an agreement between the central government authorities of a Contracting Party and the investor concerning an investment shall be considered a claim for breach of this Agreement unless the taxation authorities of the Contracting Parties, no later than six months after being notified of the claim by the investor, jointly determine that the measure does not contravene such agreement.
ARTICLE XII: Settlement of Disputes between an Investor and the Host Contracting Party Any dispute between one Contracting Party and an investor of the other Contracting Party, relating to a claim by the investor that a measure taken or not taken by the former Contracting Party is in breach of this Agreement, and that the investor has incurred loss or damage by reason of, or arising out of, that breach, shall, to the extent possible, be settled amicably between them. The investor may submit the dispute to any competent court or administrative tribunal of the Contracting Party in whose territory the investment was made. If a dispute has not been settled amicably within a period of six months from the date on which it was initiated, it may be submitted by the investor to arbitration in accordance with Paragraph 4. For the purposes of this paragraph, a dispute is considered to be initiated when the investor of one Contracting Party has delivered notice in writing to the other Contracting Party alleging that a measure taken or not taken by the latter Contracting Party is in breach of this Agreement, and that the investor has incurred loss or damage by reason of, or arising out of, that breach. An investor may submit a dispute as referred to in Paragraph 1 to arbitration in accordance with Paragraph 4 only if:
The dispute may, at the election of the investor concerned, be submitted to arbitration under:
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.
written consent of the parties to a dispute for purposes of Chapter II (Jurisdiction of the Centre) of the ICSID Convention and for purposes of the Additional Facility Rules; and 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").
A tribunal established under this Article shall decide the issues in dispute in accordance with this Agreement and applicable rules of international law.
A tribunal may also award costs in accordance with the applicable arbitration rules. An award of arbitration shall be final and binding and shall be enforceable in the territory of each of the Contracting Parties. Any proceedings under this Article are without prejudice to the rights of the Contracting Parties under Article XIII.
ARTICLE XIII: Disputes between the Contracting Parties 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. Any dispute between the Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall, whenever possible, be settled amicably through consultations. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 or shall otherwise determine compensation. If the Contracting Parties fail to reach agreement, the Contracting Party bringing the dispute shall be entitled to suspend benefits of equivalent effect to those awarded by the panel.
ARTICLE XIV: Transparency 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. 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.
ARTICLE XV: Application and Entry Into Force 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. The Agreement shall not apply to disputes between an investor of one Contracting Party and the other Contracting Party that have been submitted to a claim before the effective date of this Agreement. The two Annexes hereto shall form integral parts hereof. 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. 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 XIV inclusive, as well as Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, shall remain in force for a period of fifteen years.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement. DONE in duplicate at Ottawa, this 29th day of October 1997, in the English, French and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic.
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