Critics consider international investment law (IIL) and investor–State dispute settlement (ISDS) to be a threat to global public interests, such as environmental protection, labour standards, public health or human rights, and portray them as one-sidedly protecting foreign investors and undermining public policies that are adopted for the benefit of local populations and the international community as a whole. They also dismiss economic justifications of the system as unfounded. The present article suggests a different approach to the justification of IIL, arguing that, properly construed, IIL can be justified as a system that, on aggregate, promotes global public interests. First, the article shows how IIL and ISDS form part of the legal infrastructure that is necessary for the functioning of the global economy under a rule of law framework. Aimed at supporting global economic growth and welfare, this helps further not only economic, but also non-economic, global public interests, such as sustainable development. Second, the article argues that IIL and ISDS do not turn a blind eye to the conflicts that can arise between economic and non-economic public interests. Instead, IIL and ISDS have numerous, although admittedly imperfect and as of yet insufficiently utilized, mechanisms at their disposal for alleviating ensuing tensions, thus allowing both economic and non-economic global public interests to be advanced at the same time.

中文翻译：

---

为什么是你？寻求基于公共利益的国际投资法理由 

评论家认为国际投资法（IIL）和投资者与国家之间的争端解决（ISDS）对环境保护，劳工标准，公共卫生或人权等全球公共利益构成威胁，并将其描绘为对外国投资者的单方面保护破坏为当地人民和整个国际社会的利益而采取的公共政策。他们还认为该系统的经济理由不充分。本文提出了一种不同的方法来证明国际劳工组织的正当性，认为通过适当地解释，国际劳工组织可以被认为是一个总体上促进全球公共利益的体系。首先，本文说明了IIL和ISDS如何形成法律基础结构的一部分，这是在法治框架下全球经济运作所必需的。旨在支持全球经济增长和福利，这不仅有助于经济，而且有助于非经济的全球公共利益，例如可持续发展。其次，文章认为IIL和ISDS不会对经济和非经济公共利益之间可能发生的冲突视而不见。取而代之的是，尽管ILI和ISDS虽不完善，但迄今尚未得到充分利用，但它们拥有许多可用来缓解随之而来的紧张关系的机制，因此可以同时促进经济和非经济全球公共利益。该文章认为，ILI和ISDS不会对经济和非经济公共利益之间可能发生的冲突视而不见。取而代之的是，尽管ILI和ISDS虽不完善，但迄今尚未得到充分利用，但它们拥有许多可用来缓解随之而来的紧张关系的机制，因此可以同时促进经济和非经济全球公共利益。该文章认为，ILI和ISDS不会对经济和非经济公共利益之间可能发生的冲突视而不见。取而代之的是，尽管ILI和ISDS虽不完善，但迄今尚未得到充分利用，但它们拥有许多可用来缓解随之而来的紧张关系的机制，因此可以同时促进经济和非经济全球公共利益。