Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 06/2012

The times they are a-changin' -- again -- in the relationships between governments and multinational enterprises: From control, to liberalization to rebalancing

Karl P. Sauvant

May 2011

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Abstract

After a long period during which governments made the national and international frameworks for foreign investors more welcoming, a number of indicators suggest that a rebalancing is taking place toward an approach that is more protective of sovereigns, allowing governments more policy space to regulate FDI in the public interest.