Amici curiae are individuals or organisations who do not have the right to participate in the dispute as parties but want to intervene because the outcome of the proceedings may affect their interests. The participation of amici in investor-state arbitration has been justified as a useful tool...

China's astonishing economic development over the last decades has produced a momentous impact on the country's environmental equilibrium. Chinese officials are now confronted with the need to tackle environmental problems without disrupting the country's development. The Chinese government...

One of the most meaningful paths of China’s economic and diplomatic ‘charm offensive’ is the promotion of high-level contacts with the Portuguese-speaking countries. China is well aware of the potentials which derive from the use of the Portuguese language as a means of strategic...

The use of standard contracts by major companies assumes undeniable importance today. The decision of the Appeal Court of Lisbon of 29 April 2004 considered that "the contractual clauses on the verse of the page of the contract where the signatures appear will not be excluded, if it is not...

Consumption patterns influence our quality of life in deep ways, having a substantial effect on both the individual and the society as a whole. Most consumption decisions we make on a daily basis may have an ethical content. Normally our ethical concerns result from personal beliefs and societal...

Modern-day supermarkets and hypermarkets have been introducing new market strategies that aim to simplify the traditional production and distribution system. Among these novelties is the surprising conversion of retailers into producers through the use of their own brands (‘private labels’)....

One of the sharpest ideological frictions that characterises modern societies is the one that opposes supporters and opponents of trade and investment liberalisation policies. The existence of mixed empirical findings underscores the importance of avoiding general assertions about the benefits...

Since 2015, the European Commission (EC) has been advocating the establishment of an investment court system (ICS). A key aspect of the proposal is the creation of the strictest ethical standards ever seen in the field of investor-state arbitration. The exercise of functions as an arbitrator...