Creative Commons

This dissertation was written as part of the LLM in Transnational and European Commercial Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Energy Law, the International Hellenic University. This thesis derives its academic inspiration from the intriguing interplay between Intra-EU Bilateral Investment Treaties( intra-EU BITs) and the EU Law, generating many fascinating implications. The European Commission’s Decision on June 2015, to initiating infringement proceedings against five Member States, requesting them to terminate intra - EU bilateral investment treaties between them, has stirred the heated debate with regards the position of intra-EU BITs with the EU legal order In my dissertation, I decided to deal with some of the fundamental academic questions arising in this context. The multidimensional juxtaposition of interests where the undebatable need for investment protection under a BIT scheme clashes with fundamental aspects of the acquiscommunautaire as well as the status of EU Law and the extent of its intervention in the area of Intra EU BITs, will, as inherent features of this interplay, be extensively examined in this thesis. Furthermore, the issue of compliance with intra - EU arbitral awards through the prism of EU State Aid rules, as well as the future of the energy Charter Treaty will be also analyzed. I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to my academic supervisor Pr. Friedrich Rosenfeld, who generously provided significant help and guidance to complete this thesis. I am also particularly thankful to the academic staff of the International Hellenic University for a year full of unforgettable experiences. Finally, I would like to thank a person who prefers not to be mentioned, but who has been my rock and my inspiration, throughout t his period of my life. This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved family and particularly to my grandfather who’s presence accompanied always my journey towards becoming a “real scientist”.