A proposal for an agreement on investment in the framework of the World Trade Organization

International investment has become one of the most important issues on the Post-Uruguay Round Agenda of trade negotiations. The rapid growth of and the critical role in today's global economy played by international investment, as well as its essential link to trade flow necessitates a comprehensive study of the possibility of inserting broad investment provisions in the framework of an organization with trade liberalization objectives, the World Trade Organization. The inclusion of such rules requires: (1) an extensive examination of the existing investment-related provisions of the World Trade Organization Agreements, and the evaluation of their utility, followed by the examination of the recent practices of this Organization with respect to investment; (2) tracing the development of international negotiations on investment measures, from the Uruguay Round to the recent movement to launch a Multilateral Agreement on Investment.;This thesis attempts to assess the ground upon which a proposal for a new agreement on investment in the framework of the World trade Organization could be achieved.