Introduction to PACER Plus and the Investment Chapter

1. What re the principles of PACER Plus, and how are Pacific Islands connected to the global investment environment?
2. Briefly recap the PACER Plus DEC Work Programme and the PPIU.

Introduction to interaction of international and domestic investment regimes

1. Overview of the international and Pacific domestic legal regimes applicable to foreign direct investment, supporting strengthened understanding of the regional landscape. Highlight practices in national investment environments across the Pacific with focus on good practices and lessons learned form recent reform processes. It will briefly discuss commonalities and differences in Parties' domestic regulatory regimes including on admission, reserved and restricted sectors.
2. Significance of the Investment Chapter in PACER Plus, other FTAs in the Pacific and at the multilateral level.

PACER Plus Investment Chapter Implementation Workshop

1. Structure, definitions, and scope, relationship between the Investment Chapter and other PACER Plus Chapters.
2. High level review of obligations.

PACER Plus Investment Chapter Implementation Workshop (cont'd)

1. Unpacking the Investment commitments and obligations under PACER Plus.
2. Introduction to the obligations matrix: high level overview of the Investment Chapter commitments and obligations, interpretation, and application.

Afternoon tea

PACER Plus Investment Chapter Implementation Workshop (cont'd)

1. Continued focus on unpacking the Investment commitments and obligations under PACER Plus.
2. How countries can use the obligations matrix to guide implementation.
3. Introduction to the Investment Schedules: principles, approaches, and terminology

Inclusion and Investment Forum

Panel discussion on inclusivity approaches and principles for Investment, learning experiences from Country Partners, and PACER Plus GEDSI Objectives

World Bank
Ms Melissa Collins

Recap of Day 1

Close

Recent reform experiences from the Pacific

1. ADB experience advising governments on investment environment reforms.
2. Investors are making political risk assessment, political stability, access to land, dispute resolution.

Investment reform in Vanuatu

Why pursue international trade agreements? What policy/political context has brought on change? What/who are the key drivers for investment reform?

Bilateral Investment support to PACER Plus countries

1. Introduction to DFAT supported Investment initiatives (representative to deliver presentation virtually).
2. Introduction to MFAT supported Investment initiatives.

Morning Tea

Way Forward for the Pacific - PACER Plus

1. Review of the PACER Plus Investment Chapter, process, and opportunities for Parties.
2. Responses from countries on next steps.

Lunch

Key skills in contracting with non-sovereign foreign investors

1. Focused workshop on key areas of risk, and managing the same, with respect to the State entering into contracts with foreign investors (or foreign governments in furtherance of investments by their nationals), such as concession agreements, state agreements, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), or Belt & Road agreements.
2. The session will be based around sample contracts, based on publicly available concession or similar agreements entered into between other States with foreign investors. The sessions will include the common structure and provisions of such agreements, clauses that create risk and managing the same.

Lunch

International investment protections and negotiating investment treaties

1. Analysis of the key protections found in international investment law covered both under principles of customary international law and PACER Plus. Application and implementation of protections against
expropriation, fair and equitable/minimum standards of treatment, full protection and security, national treatment/most-favoured nation treatment, free transfer of funds – What does PACER Plus offer in relation
to other Agreements?
2. "International investment protections and managing disputes with foreign investors"? What is the role of investment contact points and lead investment agencies in investor/state dispute? Why are trade
agreements important? What does PACER Plus offer in comparison to other agreements?

Workshop Evaluation

Post workshop evaluation survey

Recap and Close

PPIU
ADB

ADB Pacific Foreign Direct Investment Study ADB

The study benchmarks foreign investment policy and practice in five Pacific countries against best practice overseas and highlights areas in which better practices for attracting, retaining and distributing the benefits of FDI could be implemented.

ADB

Recap of workshop, next steps, and closing of PACER Plus Introductory Investment Workshop

Lunch

PPIU supported participants depart for airport