SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP
1440 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-2111
TEL: (202) 371-7000
FAX: (202) 393-5760
www.skadden.com
|
DIRECT DIAL |
FIRM/AFFILIATE OFFICES |
May 20, 2024
Mark J. Langer
Clerk of Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse
333 Constitution Ave., NW
Room 5205
Washington, DC 20001
RE: NextEra Energy Global Holdings B.V., et al. v. Kingdom of Spain,
No. 23-7031 (D.C. Cir.), and 9REN Holding S.À.R.L. v. Kingdom of
Spain, No. 23-7032 (D.C. Cir.): Federal Rule of Appellate
Procedure 28(j) letter about Spain’s Announcement of its
Withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty (May 9, 2024)
Dear Mr. Langer:
On May 9, 2024, Spain announced that it will withdraw from the ECT,
confirming that it recognizes, despite its arguments before this Court, that
the treaty binds it in these cases—and in future cases, too, so long as it re-
mains a member.
Spain’s announcement explains that it denounced the ECT by com-
municating its decision to the depositary of the treaty (the Portuguese Re-
public, see ECT art. 49) on April 16, 2024. The announcement acknowledges
that Spain will withdraw from the ECT “in accordance with” “Article 47.2 of
the Treaty,” which provides that a “withdrawal shall take effect upon the
[Page 2]
expiry of one year after the date of the receipt of the notification by the De-
positary,” or on a later “specified” date, ECT art. 47(2). The announcement
says withdrawal “will take effect” on April 17, 2025.
Spain’s announcement shows that it recognizes, despite its arguments
here, that it is bound by the ECT, including Article 47, which governs with-
drawal, and that to terminate its prospective obligations under the ECT,
Spain must withdraw from, not purport to rewrite, the treaty. Accord Vienna
Convention art. 54. The announcement thus reaffirms that Spain cannot rely
on internal EU law to duck its ECT obligations, and that if Spain wishes to
avoid those obligations prospectively, it must use the processes the ECT pro-
vides: withdrawal (Article 47) or amendment (Article 42). NextEra Br. 52;
Supp. Br. 7.
Article 47(3) underscores that Spain’s withdrawal is prospective only,
with no effect here: “The provisions of this Treaty shall continue to apply to
Investments made in the Area of a Contracting Party”—Spain—“by Inves-
tors of other Contracting Parties”—NextEra and 9REN—“as of the date
when that Contracting Party’s withdrawal from the Treaty takes effect for a
period of 20 years from such date.” ECT art. 47(3). Spain’s withdrawal thus
doesn’t—and can’t—disturb its unconditional consent in ECT Article 26 to
arbitrate here, or any of its preexisting substantive treaty obligations in the
ECT (as applicable to NextEra and 9REN), much less its continuing obliga-
tion under the ICSID Convention to honor the awards in these cases.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Shay Dvoretzky
Shay Dvoretzky
Counsel for Petitioners-Appellees
NextEra Energy Global Holdings B.V.,
et al. (No. 23-7031); Plaintiff-Appellee
9REN Holding S.À.R.L. (No. 23-7032)
[Page 3]
I hereby certify that (1) this letter complies with the type-volume limi-
tation of Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 28(j) because, as calculated by
Microsoft Word, the body of the letter contains 350 words, and (2) this letter
complies with the typeface requirements of Federal Rule of Appellate Pro-
cedure 32(a)(5) and the type-style requirements of Federal Rule of Appellate
Procedure 32(a)(6) because it has been prepared in a proportionally spaced
typeface using Microsoft Word in a 14-point Book Antiqua font.
Dated: May 20, 2024
/s/ Shay Dvoretzky
Shay Dvoretzky
I hereby certify that on May 20, 2024, I electronically filed the foregoing
document with the Clerk of Court for the United States Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia Circuit by using the CM/ECF system. I certify that
all participants in the case are registered CM/ECF users and that service will
be accomplished by the CM/ECF system.
Dated: May 20, 2024
/s/ Shay Dvoretzky
Shay Dvoretzky
[Page 4]
Certified translation and original version, Official State Bulletin of the
Kingdom of Spain (May 9, 2024)
[Page 5]
I, Roberto Cano, am over 18 years old, fluent in English and Spanish, and competent to translate
from Spanish into English and from English into Spanish. I certify that I have translated the notice
titled Denuncia por España del Tratado de la Carta de la Energía y del Protocolo de la Carta de la
Energía sobre la eficacia energética y los aspectos medioambientales relacionados, hechos en
Lisboa el 17 de diciembre de 1994, BOE-A-2024-9618, BOE n. 117, 14 May 2024, at 54515, from
Spanish into English to the best of my ability, and that my translation was complete and accurate.
Signed this 16th day of May, 2024 under the pains and penalties of perjury of the United States.
Signature
Roberto Cano
1440 New York Ave, N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20005
+1 (202) 371-7434
NOTARY PUBLIC
District of Columbia
Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on
5/16/2024 by Roberto Cano
Date Name(s) of Individuals(s) making statement
Signature
Signature of Notarial Officer
Notary Public
Title of Office
My Commission Expires: 8/31/2028
Seal
[Page 6]
| No. 117 | Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | Sec. I. Pg. 54515 |
9618
Denunciation by Spain of the Energy Charter Treaty and the Energy
Charter Protocol on energy efficiency and related environmental
aspects, signed in Lisbon on December 17, 1994.
Through a Verbal Notice on April 16, 2024, submitted to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, Spain has denounced the Energy
Charter Treaty, signed in Lisbon on December 17, 1994.
In accordance with the provisions in article 20.2 of the Energy Charter
Protocol on energy efficiency and related environmental aspects, signed in
Libson on December 17, 1994, Spain's complaint of the Energy Charter Treaty
will also include the denunciation of this Protocol,
The Treaty and the Protocol entered into effect for Spain on April
16,1998 (OSB number 65, of March 17, 1998, with corrections of errors in OSB
number 140, of June 12,1998).
The complaint, both of the Treaty and the Protocol, will take effect for
Spain on April 17, 2025, one year after the date on which the verbal notice from
Spain was received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese
Republic, recipient thereof. All of this in accordance with the provisions in
article 47.2 of the Treaty and article 20.3 of the Protocol.
Madrid, May 9, 2024. – The General Technical Secretary, Rosa
Velázquez Álvarez.
| https://www.boe.es | OFFICIAL STATE BULLETIN | D. L.: M-1/1958 - ISSN: 0212-033X |
cve: BOE-A-2024-9618
Verifiable at https://www.boe.es
[Page 7]
| Núm. 117 | Martes 14 de mayo de 2024 | Sec. I. Pág. 54515 |
9618
Denuncia por España del Tratado de la Carta de la Energía y del Protocolo de
la Carta de la Energía sobre la eficacia energética y los aspectos
medioambientales relacionados, hechos en Lisboa el 17 de diciembre de
1994.
Mediante Nota Verbal de 16 de abril de 2024, remitida al Ministerio de Asuntos
Exteriores de la República Portuguesa, España ha denunciado el Tratado de la Carta de
la Energía, hecho en Lisboa el 17 de diciembre de 1994.
De conformidad con lo dispuesto en el artículo 20.2 del Protocolo de la Carta de la
Energía sobre la eficacia energética y los aspectos medioambientales relacionados,
hecho en Lisboa el 17 de diciembre de 1994, la denuncia por España del Tratado de la
Carta de la Energía llevará aparejada también la denuncia de este Protocolo,
El Tratado y el Protocolo entraron en vigor para España el 16 de abril de 1998 (BOE
número 65, de 17 de marzo de 1998, con corrección de errores en el BOE número 140,
de 12 de junio de 1998).
La denuncia, tanto del Tratado como del Protocolo, surtirá efectos para España el 17
de abril de 2025, un año después de la fecha de recepción de la nota verbal de España
por el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de la República Portuguesa, depositario de los
mismos. Todo ello de conformidad con lo dispuesto en el artículo 47.2 del Tratado y en el
artículo 20.3 del Protocolo.
Madrid, 9 de mayo de 2024.–La Secretaria General Técnica, Rosa Velázquez
Álvarez.
| https://www.boe.es | BOLETÍN OFICIAL DEL ESTADO | D. L.: M-1/1958 - ISSN: 0212-033X |
cve: BOE-A-2024-9618
Verificable en https://www.boe.es