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UMBRELLA CLAUSE ȃ ADDITIONAL PROTECTION OF INVESTMENT BY CLAUS…
neobsahuje výslovné ustanovení v tomto směru, nemůže sama o sobě vyvolat žádnou
mezinárodně právní odpovědnost státu, ani povinnost k nějaké nápravě. Proto je jistě
nutné věnovat znění doložky při jejím návrhu a formulaci při uzavírání investičních
dohod náležitou pozornost.
Key words: Umbrella clause, interpretation, recent jurisprudence, obligations arising
under investment contract, Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), breach of contract,
violation of international law, domestic commercial matter, additional protection of
investor, right to claim the responsibility of a state, Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (Anglo-
Iranian Oil Company, AIOC ) 1951.
On the Author: JUDr. Vojtěch Trapl, Arbitrator, ), is Senior Partner
of the Law Office Dr. Trapl a partner advokáti s.r.o. (Ltd.). He specializes in
Business Law, International Private Law, IT Law, State Contracts and International
Investments (BIT). Arbitrator at the Arbitration Court attached to the Economic
Chamber of the Czech Republic and Agricultural Chamber of the Czech Republic,
Member of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Member of London Court
of Arbitration in London (until 2013), Arbitrator for the International Commercial
Arbitration Court at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICAC at
the UCCI) in Kiev, Member of DIS (Deutsche Institution für Schiedgerichtsbarkeit)
(until 2013), Arbitrator on the ICSID List of Arbitrators by the Czech Republic
(2008-2014), Arbitrator on the List of Practitioners with the International Arbitration
Court of the Economic Chamber of Austria (VIAC) Vienna, Co-Arbitrator in two
investments disputes under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules: Austrian Airlines v Slovak
Republic, Final Award on Jurisdiction (October 9, 2009) and Albert Jan Oostergetel,
Theodora Laurentius v Slovak Republic, Final Award (23 April 2012), not published.
Delegation of the Czech Republic with the UNCITRAL Working Group II on
Arbitration and Conciliation since 2000, participating in the work of the Group on
transparency in investment arbitration.
Introduction
The legal status of umbrella clauses is clear, but the interpretation of an umbrella
clause as a provision of an investment treaty is in a state of confusion.
The language and purpose of the umbrella clause, as follows from the history of
jurisprudence and literature, reveals that the interpretation prevails that the umbrella
clause extends to all obligations arising under any investment contract concluded
between a host State party iure gestionis and an investor of the other State party under
athe regime of a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).
Under general international law, it is unclear whether a state breaching a contract
with an investor qualifies per se as a violation of an international obligation.1 Such
1 Robert Jenings, & Arthur Watts, Oppenheim’s International Law 927 (9th ed. 1992) (“It is doubtful
whether a breach by a state of its contractual obligations with aliens constitutes per se a breach of an
international obligation…”)