The Constitutional Court of Ecuador ruled that the investment agreement with the United Arab Emirates must be approved by the National Assembly before its ratification.
The Constitutional Court (CC) of Ecuador has ruled that the agreement between the Ecuadorian government and the United Arab Emirates for the mutual promotion and protection of investments requires prior approval from the National Assembly before it can be ratified. This decision was made on March 5, following a constitutional control request from the Executive on December 31, 2025, after the agreement was signed on December 6 of the same year.
The agreement contains 34 articles aimed at promoting and protecting reciprocal investments, strengthening economic relations, creating stable, equitable, favorable, and transparent conditions for investment, and stimulating the reciprocal flow of capital and economic development. Additionally, it acknowledges that these goals can be met without undermining sanitary, environmental, or security measures.
The Constitutional Court's analysis concluded that the agreement falls under budgetary provisions specified in Article 419 of the Constitution, which necessitates legislative scrutiny and consent. This ruling emphasizes the importance of legislative oversight in international agreements and highlights the constitutional requirements that the Ecuadorian government must follow before engaging in bilateral investment agreements.
