[The energy charter treaty]

In June 1990, The European Council in Dublin offered cooperation in the power economy to the then Soviet Union and the states associated with it. The United States of America, Canada, Japan, Australia, and other OECD countries accected to this proposal. A total of 51 states from East and West signed the European Energy Charter in 1991. As a binding framework going beyond the political statement of intent, the Energy Charter Treaty was submitted ready for signature in 1994, after three years of negotiations. The key points of the Treaty, which encompasses all soul-ces of energy, are the protection of foreign direct investments; easier transit of energy energy and energy products without discrimination; the application of the Gatt/WTO rules to energy trade also with non-members; international arbitration of disputes; the development of fair rules of competition; the facilitation of technology transfer; access to capital markets; reduction of environmental pollution and the introduction of the polluter-pays principle; transparency through publication of all legal acts, including jurisdiction, relating to the power economy.