08/10/2021 (Agence Europe) – Concerned about the lack of progress being made in negotiations to modernise the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) (see EUROPE 12756/18), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has called on the EU and its Member States to consider repealing the treaty in a note published on 8 October, which echoes criticisms made by MEPs (see EUROPE 12594/11) and various civil society organisations (EUROPE 12800/28, 12618/10). If it is not possible to repeal the ECT due to the unanimity requirement, the organisation is calling on the EU and its Member States to collectively withdraw by setting up an inter se agreement. This would seek to prohibit intra-EU investor state dispute settlement procedures in order to guard against a clause in the treaty that allows investors to sue a Member State for up to 20 years after it has withdrawn from the ECT. See the note: https://bit.ly/3amHFrq (DG)