The EU’s legal obligation to promote sustainable development through FDI policy: A case study on the regulation of EU FDI in mineral mining in developing countries

Under the Treaty of Lisbon, the policy area 'foreign direct investment' became part of the EU's Common Commercial Policy (CCP). The CCP should be implemented in accordance with the 'principles and objectives of EU External Action'. This means, inter alia, that EU foreign investment policy should foster sustainable development in developing countries and that natural resources must be managed in a sustainable manner. This thesis develops a definition of 'sustainability' in the context of mineral mining in developing countries and examines whether the EU is meeting its self-imposed legal obligations.