Work Area: Sovereign immunity

In an unusual decision, Colombia’s Supreme Court has refused to recognise a US$1.7 billion investment treaty award against Venezuela on the basis that the state enjoys immunity from execution. 

24 June 2024

A Chinese investor seeking to enforce a US$70 million investment treaty award against Nigeria has been granted final charging orders over two UK residential properties owned by the state – having also attached a £20 million debt relating to the high-profile P&ID case.

21 June 2024

The former majority shareholders of Yukos say they have auctioned several Russian state-owned vodka trademarks, calling it the first successful enforcement of awards worth US$60 billion that they won against Russia a decade ago.

17 June 2024

The UAE’s Crescent Petroleum has obtained a default judgment from a US court enforcing an award now worth US$2.75 billion against the National Iranian Oil Company.  

02 May 2024

A US defence contractor seeking to satisfy a £16 million ICC award against Libya has obtained a final charging order against a London property previously owned by the family of the country’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

16 April 2024

A US court has enforced a US$140 million investment treaty award won by Deutsche Telekom against India over a cancelled satellite deal, rejecting the state’s immunity arguments and refusing to allow briefing of further merits defences. 

02 April 2024

The Dutch Supreme Court has rejected Russia’s appeal against the seizure of state-owned vodka trademarks by the former majority shareholders of Yukos Oil Company.

25 March 2024

The US Department of Justice has weighed into a DC Circuit appeal over the enforcement of three Energy Charter Treaty awards against Spain, arguing that the existence of an arbitration agreement is a threshold question and that it was “improper” for a judge to issue anti-suit injunctions against the respondent state.

06 February 2024

The former majority of shareholders of Yukos have seized a London property owned by Russia to satisfy the legal costs of their battle to enforce awards worth US$60 billion.

02 February 2024

A judge in London has adjourned Spain’s bid to undo the registration of a €33 million ICSID award in favour of two solar investors on sovereign immunity grounds until an appeal in a similar case is decided.

31 January 2024