RE: Mexico – EU Modernised Global Agreement: Analysis of the New Investment Protection Regime and Investment Court System
SIGNED: 22 May 2026 (VIII Mexico – European Union Summit, Mexico City)
EFFECTIVE: Pending ratification by the European Parliament,
the 27 national parliaments and the Mexican Senate.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On 22 May 2026, Mexico and the European Union (“EU”) signed the Modernised Global Agreement (“MGA”) and the Interim Trade Agreement (“iTA”) at the VIII Mexico-EU Summit. From the perspective of investment arbitration, the MGA introduces two structural shifts of primary importance: (i) it replaces the 14 bilateral investment treaties (“BITs”) currently in force between Mexico and EU member States; and (ii) it adopts the Investment Court System (“ICS”) as the new permanent investor-State dispute settlement mechanism, replacing the ad hoc arbitration model.
CONTACT:
hector.anaya@gritwood.mx