This master thesis uncovers the influence of business lobbying on the Dutch Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) program from the 1960s until 2016. Drawing on a wide collection of sources, historical...Show moreThis master thesis uncovers the influence of business lobbying on the Dutch Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) program from the 1960s until 2016. Drawing on a wide collection of sources, historical archives, extensive literature and press research, public records and interviews, this thesis examines more than 100 BITs to reveal the corporate and governmental drivers of the Dutch BIT program. It finds that the role of business preferences and lobbying in the context of Dutch BITs is generally overstated, although Dutch corporations like Shell, Philips and Unilever were actively involved in the early days.Show less
