Investment Mediation and Regional Economic Integration Organizations : The European Union and the Central American Integration System in Comparative Perspective

International investment agreements (IIAs) often provide for arbitration as the main dispute settlement method, but they rarely regulate mediation. However, this legal landscape is changing rapidly due to the inclusion of clauses contemplating mediation and the adoption of specific rules by international bodies. Investment mediation is presented as a complementary tool that avoids the escalation of conflicts and is more effective and less time consuming and causes less disruption to the investment environment. Against this backdrop, the main aim of this article is to explore recent developments in investment mediation in regional economic integration organizations (REIOs), focusing on the European Union's experience