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Rudolf Dolzer and Christoph Schreuer (2008): Principles of International Investment Law Oxford University Press. 480 pages ISBN-13: 9780199211760. ISBN-10:0199211760: USD 45.00
The field of international investment law has gained considerably in practical importance in recent years, as is witnessed by greatly increased volumes of capital transfers in relation to foreign direct investment. This development is partly due to a change in the international investment climale that resulted inter alia from the collapse of the former Soviet Union and from a less sceptical attitude toward foreign investment by Latin American and developing countries. This phenomenon is also closely connected to the emergence of a great number of new investment treaties. These trends have also attracted a growing number of legal scientific and related publications. One contribution which stands out from the crowd is the book entitled "Principles of International Investment Law", written by two leading scholars in the field. RUDOLF DOLZER and CHRISTOPH SCHRFUER. As these authors explain in their foreword, they have neither intended to write a European-style treatise, nor a common law casebook. Rather, their book tries to illustrate the meaning of central principles in international investment law by examining relevant jurisprudence in customary international law. regional agreements and bilateral investment treaties.
Chapter I explains the nature. evolution and the context ol 'international investment law. It emphasises the fact that foreign investment law consists of general international law. general standards of international economic law and specific principles, which are particular to its domain. It reminds the reader of the importance of the interplay between international law and the domestic law of the host state. The authors also stress the difference between foreign investment and trade transactions, which mainly lies in the long-term relationship between the investor and the host country. One corollary which follows from this specificity of international investment law is the authors* admonition thai one should not generally assume, without a more detailed analysis of concrete concepts, that analogies can be drawn between international investment law...