The Government of Canada and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, hereinafter referred to as the "Contracting Parties";
Recognizing that the promotion and the reciprocal protection of
investments of investors of one State in the territory of the other
State will be conducive to the stimulation of business initiative
in both States and to the development of economic cooperation
between them;
Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
For the purpose of this Agreement:
(a) the term" territory" means the territory of Canada or the
territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
respectively, as well as those maritime areas, including
the seabed and subsoil adjacent to the outer limit of the
territorial sea of either of the above territories, over
which the State concerned exercises, in accordance with
international law, sovereign rights for the purpose of
exploration and exploitation of the natural resources of
such areas;
(b) the term "investment" means any kind of asset invested
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 and in
particular, though not exclusively, shall include:
(i) any movable and immovable property and any
related property rights, such as mortgages;
(ii) shares, stock, bonds and debentures or any
other form of participation in a company,
business enterprise or joint venture;
(iii) claims to money, and claims to performance
under contract having a financial value;
(iv) any intellectual property rights, including
rights with respect to copyrights, patents,
trademarks, trade names, industrial designs,
trade secrets as well as know-how;
(v) 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.
Any change in the form of an investment does not affect its
character as an investment;
(c) the term "returns" means all amounts yielded by an
investment and in particular, though not exclusively,
profits, interest, capital gains, dividends, royalties,
fees or other current income;
(d) the term "investor" means with regard to either
Contracting Party:
(i) any natural person possessing the citizenship
of or permanently residing in a Contracting
Party in accordance with its laws; or
(ii) any corporation, partnership, trust, joint
venture, organization, association or
enterprise incorporated or duly constituted in
accordance with applicable laws of that
Contracting Party;
provided that such natural person, corporation, partnership,
trust, joint venture, organization, association or enterprise
has the legal right, in accordance with the laws of that
Contracting Party, to make investments in the territory of the
other Contracting Party.
ARTICLE II
Promotion of Investment
(1) Each Contracting Party shall encourage the creation of
favourable conditions for investors of the other Contracting Party
to make investments in its territory.
(2) Subject to its laws, regulations and published
policies, each Contracting Party shall admit investments of
investors of the other Contracting Party.
(3) This Agreement shall not preclude either Contracting
Party from prescribing laws and regulations in connection with the
establishment of a new business enterprise or the acquisition or
sale of a business enterprise in its territory, provided that such
laws and regulations are applied equally to all foreign investors.
Decisions taken in conformity with such laws and regulations shall
not be subject to the provisions of Articles IX or XI of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE III
Protection of Investment
(1) Investments or returns of investors of ei ther
Contracting Party shall at all times be accorded fair and equitable
treatment in accordance with principles of international law and
shall enjoy full protection and security in the territory of the
other Contracting Party.
(2) Each Contracting Party shall grant to investments or
returns of investors of the other Contracting Party in its own
territory treatment no less favourable than that which it grants
to investments or returns of investors of any third State.
(3) Each Contracting Party shall grant investors of the
other Contracting Party in its territory, as regards their
management, use, enjoyment or disposal of their investments or
returns, treatment no less favourable than that which it grants to
investors of any third State.
(4) In addition to the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3)
of this Article, each Contracting Party shall, to the extent
possible and in accordance with its laws and regulations, grant to
investments or returns of investors of the other Contracting Party
a treatment no less favourable than that it grants to investments
or returns of its own investors.
ARTICLE IV
Exceptions
The provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed
so as to oblige one Contracting Party to extend to the investors
of the other Contracting Party the benefits of any treatment,
preference or privilege resulting from participation in:
(a) any existing or future free trade area or customs union;
(b) any multilateral agreement for mutual economic
assistance, integration or cooperation to which either of the
Contracting Parties is or may become a party;
(c) any bilateral convention, including any customs
agreement, in force on the date of entry into force of this
Agreement which contains provisions similar to those contained in
paragraph (b) above; or
(d) any existing or future convention relating to double
taxation or other fiscal matters.
ARTICLE V
Compensation for Losses
Investors of one Contracting Party whose investments or
returns in the territory of the other Contracting Party suffer
losses owing to war, other armed conflicts, a state of national
emergency or other similar circumstances in the territory of the
latter shall be accorded, as regards restitution, indemnification,
compensation or other settlement, treatment no less favourable than
that which the latter Contracting Party grants to investors of any
third State. Any payment made under this Article shall be prompt,
adequate, effective and freely transferable.
ARTICLE VI
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 provided that it is accompanied by prompt, adequate and
effective compensation. Such compensation shall be based on the
real value of the investment at the time of the expropriation,
shall be made within two months of the date of expropriation, after
which interest at a normal commercial rate shall accrue until the
date of payment, be effectively realizable and freely transferable.
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 Contracting Party
of its case and of the valuation of its investment in accordance
with the principles set out in this Article.
ARTICLE VII
Transfer of Funds
(1) Each Contracting Party shall guarantee to any investor
of the other Contracting Party the prompt transfer of, in
particular:
(a) the returns accruing from any investment;
(b) the proceeds of the total or partial liquidation of any
investment;
(c) funds in repayment of loans related to an investment;
(d) the corresponding part of wages and other remuneration
accruing to a citizen of that other Contracting Party who
was permitted to work in connection with an investment
in the territory of the former Contracting Party; and
(e) any compensation owed to an investor by virtue of Articles V or VI of this Agreement;
in any convertible currency agreed upon between the investor and
the Contracting Party concerned at the exchange rate on the day of
the transfer.
For the purpose of this paragraph, prompt transfer means
on a pro rata basis within a period not exceeding two years.
(2) In cases where exceptional balance of payments
difficulties exist, and then for a period not exceeding eighteen
months, the Contracting Party shall guarantee the transfer of any
amount mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Article on a pro rata
basis, provided that the total period for the transfer does not
exceed five years.
(3) The Contracting Parties undertake to accord to transfers
referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article a treatment no less
favourable than that accorded to transfers originating from
investments made by investors of any third State.
ARTICLE VIII
Subrogation
(1) If a Contracting Party or any agency thereof makes a
payment to any of its investors under a guarantee or insurance it
has contracted 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.
(2) A Contracting Party or any agency thereof which is
subrogated in 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 IX
Settlement of Disputes between an Investor and the Host Contracting Party
(1) Any dispute between one Contracting Party and an investor of
the other Contracting Party relating to the effects of a measure
taken by the former Contracting Party on the management, use,
enjoyment or disposal of an investment made by the investor, and
in particular, but not exclusively, relating to the effects of a
measure on the transport and sale of goods, on the expropriation
mentioned in Article VI of this Agreement or on the transfer of
funds mentioned in Article VII of this Agreement, shall, to the
extent possible, be settled amicably between both parties
concerned.
(2) If the dispute has not been settled amicably within a period
of six months from the date on which the dispute was initiated, it
may be submitted by the investor to arbitration.
(3) In that case, the dispute shall then be settled in conformity
with the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on
International Trade Law, as adopted in Resolution 31/98 of the
United Nations General Assembly on 15 December 1976.
ARTICLE X
Consultations and Exchange of Information
Upon request by either Contracting Party, the other
Contracting Party shall agree promptly to consultations on the
interpretation or application of this Agreement. Upon request by
either Contracting Party, information shall be exchanged on the
impact that the laws, regulations, decisions, administrative
practices or procedures, or policies of the other Contracting Party
may have on investments covered by this Agreement.
ARTICLE XI
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 through diplomatic channels.
(2) If the dispute cannot be settled through diplomatic
channels, it shall, at the request of either Contracting Party, be
submitted to an arbitral tribunal for decision.
(3) The arbitral tribunal shall be constituted for each
dispute. Within two months after receiving the request for
arbitration, each Contracting Party shall appoint one member to the
arbitral tribunal. 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 tribunal. The Chairman
shall be appointed within two months from the date of appointment
of the other two members of the Arbitral tribunal.
(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 tribunal 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 tribunal shall be rendered within six months of the
appointment of the Chairman in accordance with paragraph (3) or (4)
of this Article. The arbitral tribunal shall determine its own
procedure. Each Contracting Party shall bear the costs of its own
member of the tribunal and of its representation in the arbitral
pcoceedings; the costs related to the Chairman and any remaining
costs shall be borne equally by the Contracting Parties. The
arbitral tribunal 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.
ARTICLE XII
Amendments
This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the
Contracting Parties. Such amendments shall enter into force on a
date which shall be mutually agreed upon through an exchange of
notes on this matter.
ARTICLE XIII
Other International Agreements
Where a matter is covered both by the provisions of this
Agreement and any other international agreement to which both
Contracting Parties are bound, nothing in this Agreement shall
prevent an investor of one Contracting Party that has investments
in the territory of the other Contracting Party from benefitting
from the most favourable regime.
ARTICLE XIV
Entry into Force
(1) This Agreement shall enter into force on the day the two
Contracting Parties notify each other in writing that their
constitutional requirements for the entry into force of this
Agreement have been fulfilled.
(2) This Agreement shall apply to any investment made by an
investor of one Contracting Party in the territory of the other
Contracting Party on or after January 1st 1950.
(3) This Agreement shall remain in force unless either
Contracting Party notifies in writing the other Contracting Party
of its intention to terminate it. The notice of termination of this
Agreement shall become effective one year after it has been
received by the other Contracting Party. In respect of investments
made prior to the date when the notice of termination of this
Agreement becomes effective, the provisions of Articles I to XIII
inclusive of this Agreement shall remain in force for a period of
twenty years.
DONE in duplicate at Moscow this " 20 " day of November, 1989,
in the English, French and Russian languages, all texts being
equally authentic.
FAIT en double exemplaire à Moscou le " 20 " jour de novembre
1989, en français, en anglais et en russe, chaque version faisant également foi.
For the Government of Canada |
For the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
Pour le Gouvernement du Canada Brian Mulroney
[signature] |
Pour le Gouvernement de l'Union des Républiques socialistes soviétiques
N. I. Ryzhkov
[signature] |
|