Navigation

  1. Home
  2. Provisions
  3. Part VI: Transitional Provisions
  4. Article 29: Interim Provisions on Trade-Related Matters
  5. 29(2)

(a) Trade in Energy Materials and Products and Energy-Related Equipment between Contracting Parties at least one of which is not a member of the WTO shall be governed, subject to subparagraph (b) and to the exceptions and rules provided for in Annex W, by the provisions of the WTO Agreement, as applied and practised with regard to Energy Materials and Products and Energy-Related Equipment by members of the WTO among themselves, as if all Contracting Parties were members of the WTO.

(b) Such trade of a Contracting Party which is a state that was a constituent part of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics may instead be governed, subject to the provisions of Annex TFU, by an agreement between two or more such states, until 1 December 1999 or the admission of that Contracting Party to the WTO, whichever is the earlier.

Notwithstanding the listing of paragraph 6 of article XXIV of the GATT 1994 in Annex W (A)(1)(a)(i), any signatory affected by an increase in customs duties or other charges of any kind imposed on or in connection with importation or exportation referred to in the first sentence of that paragraph, is entitled to seek consultations in the Charter Conference.

(a) Where a provision of [WTO]1 referred to in this paragraph provides for joint action by [Members of the WTO]2, it is intended that the Charter Conference take such action.3

 

1Editor's note: original "GATT 1947 or a Related Instrument", adapted by editors.

2Editor's note: original "parties to the GATT", adapted by editors.

3Editor's note: part (b) of the Understanding became irrelevant following the entry into force of the Amendment to the Trade-Realted Provisions of the Energy Charter Treaty.

On sait depuis longtemps que travailler avec du texte lisible et contenant du sens est source de distractions, et empêche de se concentrer sur la mise en page elle-même. L'avantage du Lorem Ipsum sur un texte générique comme 'Du texte. Du texte. Du texte.' est qu'il possède une distribution de lettres plus ou moins normale, et en tout cas comparable avec celle du français standard. De nombreuses suites logicielles de mise en page ou éditeurs de sites Web ont fait du Lorem Ipsum leur faux texte par défaut, et une recherche pour 'Lorem Ipsum' vous conduira vers de nombreux sites qui n'en sont encore qu'à leur phase de construction. Plusieurs versions sont apparues avec le temps, parfois par accident, souvent intentionnellement (histoire d'y rajouter de petits clins d'oeil, voire des phrases embarassantes).

20th Anniversary of ECT entry into force

Modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty discussed during the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of its entry into force


On 17 December 2018, the International Energy Charter organised a Conference to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), The Energy Charter Treaty entered into force on 16 April 1998. After the successful update of the political declaration in 2015, it was time to reflect on the lessons learned, objectives achieved and challenges ahead (in particular, the potential Modernisation of the ECT). 

In fact, at the end of November, the Conference had adopted the Bucharest declaration which emphasized that the ECT, “as a multilateral framework for investment protection in the energy sector, provides legal instruments that are helpful and complementary to policies and regulations in promoting investments and energy efficiency required to support a sustainable energy future” and reiterated “the importance of the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty to guarantee that it keeps providing balanced rules to protect investments that ensure stable energy supply, energy access, and a sustainable energy future”.

The conference took place right after the accession of Jordan to the Treaty and the approval by the Energy Charter Conference of the list of topics for Modernisation of the ECT.

Over 80 participants were in attendance, representing industry, governments, legal circles and academia. Most of them joined the local diplomatic community the same evening for a networking reception.

Opening remarks were delivered by the Secretary General, Dr. Urban Rusnák (speech), Ambassador of Albania H.E. Suela Janina (speech) (in representation of the 2019 Albanian Chairmanship of the Conference), and Mrs. Inês Matos (speech), representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal (depositary of the ECT).


The first roundtable discussion was moderated by Mrs. Sofia Sanz Estebanez, chair of the subgroup on Modernisation and as of January 2019, Chair of the Strategy Group. Keynotes speeches were delivered by

  • H.E. Hala Zawati, Minister of Energy of Jordan (Jordan became a Contracting Party to the Energy Charter Treaty as of 11 September 2018)

  • H.E. Dilyor Khakimov, Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan (speech)

  • H.E. Kazuo Kodama, Mission of Japan to European Union (extracts from the speech)

  • Mrs. Megan Richards, Director for Energy Policy, DG Energy – European Commission

The second roundtable was moderated by Mr. Craig Bamberger, former Chair of the Legal Advisory Committee during the negotiations of the ECT. Keynote speeches were delivered by

  • Mrs. Niuscha Bassiri, Hanotiau & van den Berg

  • Mr. Nikos Lavranos, Secretary-General of EFILA

  • Mr. Martins Paparinskis, University College London

  • Mrs. Shamali de Silva, Chief Counsel, MIGA

The Forum was closed by Dr. Alejandro Carballo Leyda, General Counsel and Head of the Conflict Resolution Centre of the International Energy Charter.

See complete brochure here.