Germany withdraws from the Energy Charter

The coalition delayed its decision for a long time. Since Friday, it has become clear: Germany will withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). The agreement, which dates back to the 1990s, allows investors to sue states in private arbitration courts if their plants and investments are at risk, for example, because of stricter climate laws. The Swedish company Vattenfall, for example, sued Germany for billions in damages because of the accelerated nuclear phase-out.