A multilateral framework on investment: attemps, outcomes and proposals

So far the efforts to develop a multilateral regime have failed because of a divergence in approaches between developed and developing countries. States have made efforts to create rules through bargaining and negotiating within international economic institutions that they see as instruments through which pursuing their specific economic interests. These rules, in turn, will shape state behaviour. The key question, especially for developing countries, is whether such sets of rules reflect an existing distribution of economic power or whether these rules can transform power based relationships. This paper examines the complexity of the issues involved in the creation of a comprehensive framework for investment going through the different attempts, the results obtained and analysing the different positions in order to discuss the need of creating such a framework, its form and the best forum.