Arbitral Digest

Matter

Urbaser S.A. and Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia, Bilbao Biskaia Ur Partzuergoa v. Argentine Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/07/26)

ICSID investment arbitration concerning Urbaser and Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia’s claims against Argentina, including jurisdiction and liability issues.

  • Investor-state arbitration
Case no.
ARB/07/26
Applicable rules
ICSID Arbitration Rules

Procedural record

  1. 12 August 2010Arbitration

    12 August 2010Arbitration

    Decision on Claimants' Proposal to Disqualify Professor Campbell McLachlan, Arbitrator

    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

    Decision summary
    The Tribunal dismissed the Claimants' proposal to disqualify Professor Campbell McLachlan, reserved determination and attribution of costs, and terminated the suspension of the proceeding.

    Participants

    Urbaser S.A.
    Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia, Bilbao Biskaia Ur Partzuergoa
    Argentine Republic
    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
    Arbitrator
    Pedro J. Martinez-Fraga
    Arbitrator
    Campbell McLachlan
    Institutional administrator
    Marco Tulio Montanes-Rumayor

    Authorities cited

    6
    • Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention)
      statute
    • Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments between the Argentine Republic and the Kingdom of Spain (Argentina-Spain BIT, signed October 3, 1991)
      statute
    • Emilio Augustin Maffezini v. Kingdom of Spain (ICSID Case No. ARB/97/7, Decision on Objections to Jurisdiction, January 25, 2000)
      case law
    • Plama Consortium Ltd v. Republic of Bulgaria (ICSID Case No. ARB/03/24, Decision on Jurisdiction, February 8, 2005)
      case law
    • International Investment Arbitration, Substantive Principles (Oxford University Press, 2007)
      academic
    • Investment Treaties and General International Law (International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 2008, pages 361-401)
      academic

    2 years, 4 months and 7 days later · 860 days

  2. 19 December 2012Arbitration

    19 December 2012Arbitration

    Decision on Jurisdiction

    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

    Decision summary
    The Tribunal rejected all of the Respondent's objections, affirmed the Centre's jurisdiction and the Tribunal's competence over the dispute, and reserved determination and attribution of costs.

    Participants

    Urbaser S.A.
    Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia, Bilbao Biskaia Ur Partzuergoa
    Argentine Republic
    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
    Arbitrator
    Pedro J. Martinez-Fraga
    Arbitrator
    Campbell McLachlan
    Institutional administrator
    Marco Tulio Montanes-Rumayor

    Authorities cited

    3
    • Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention)
      statute
    • Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments between the Argentine Republic and the Kingdom of Spain (Argentina-Spain BIT, signed October 3, 1991)
      statute
    • Emilio Augustin Maffezini v. Kingdom of Spain (ICSID Case No. ARB/97/7, Decision on Objections to Jurisdiction, January 25, 2000)
      case law

    3 years, 11 months and 19 days later · 1450 days

  3. 8 December 2016Arbitration

    8 December 2016Arbitration

    Award

    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

    Decision summary
    The Tribunal confirmed jurisdiction and competence over the Respondent's counterclaim; declared that Argentina breached Article IV(1) of the Argentina-Spain BIT by failing to afford fair and equitable treatment in renegotiating the Concession Contract between 2003 and 2005; dismissed the Claimants' other treaty-breach declarations and compensatory-damages claims; dismissed the counterclaim concerning access to drinking water and sanitation; and ordered Argentina to pay USD 400,000 and USD 647,000, with annual interest of 3% from 60 days after the Award. Later ICSID costs were allocated equally between the parties.

    Participants

    Urbaser S.A.
    Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia, Bilbao Biskaia Ur Partzuergoa
    Argentine Republic
    International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
    Arbitrator
    Pedro J. Martinez-Fraga
    Arbitrator
    Campbell McLachlan
    Institutional administrator
    Marco Tulio Montanes-Rumayor

    Authorities cited

    4
    • Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention)
      statute
    • Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments between the Argentine Republic and the Kingdom of Spain (Argentina-Spain BIT, signed October 3, 1991)
      statute
    • CMS Gas Transmission Company v. Argentine Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/01/8)
      case law
    • Wintershall Aktiengesellschaft v. Argentine Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/04/14, Award, December 8, 2008)
      case law

Matter record

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Urbaser S.A. and Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia, Bilbao Biskaia Ur Partzuergoa v. Argentine Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/07/26) · Matter