“Knock, Knock… Who’s There?” Key Elements of the EU FDI Screening Regulation
July 14, 2021
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In this article, the authors – European Commission experts in this new field – set out the background for the
Stefan Amarasinha
Stefan Amarasinha has 25 years of experience in the area of international trade and investment. He has served in a number of roles, at EU headquarters and key EU delegations abroad, working on a mix of policy development, negotiations, legal advice and dispute settlement. His broad knowledge and expertise encompasses multilateral and bilateral trade and investment issues and regulatory issues more widely, just as he enjoys a broad network of contacts in - and outside - Brussels. While a lawyer by education, he also has a firm grasp of the politics and economics of international trade and investment.
Stefan Amarasinha is currently working on investment (FDI) screening under the new EU Regulation set to enter into force on 11 October 2020. He has primary responsibility for policy development regarding trade and national security. From 2014 to 2020 he served as First Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the European Union to the World Trade Organization (WTO) with primary responsibility for rules (safeguards, subsidies and anti-dumping) and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs), as well as press and communication matters. He served as Counsellor, Head of Trade and Economic Section, at the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao from 2010 to 2014 and in the Directorate-General for Trade of the European Commission (Brussels) from 1999 to 2010. From 2004/2005-2010 he was involved in WTO dispute settlement, in particular disputes relating to subsidies (large civil aircraft) and export restraints (raw materials), and served as legal advisor and negotiator to various EU FTAs. From 1999-2004/2005 he represented the European Commission in negotiations and meetings at the WTO, OECD, and UNCTAD on Trade and Competition, Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) and was responsible for issues relating to the functioning and transparency of the WTO. He also served as Trade co-Chair of the OECD Joint Group on Trade and Competition. Prior to joining the European Commission, he was in international law practice at Clifford Chance (London: 1998-99), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Copenhagen: 1996-98) and the Danish Ministry of Interior (Copenhagen: 1993-95).
He holds law degrees from the University of Copenhagen (1993) and Georgetown University (1996) (LL.M with distinction) where he studied as a Fulbright scholar. He has taught and lectured widely on issues relating to international economic law and EU affairs and is currently the Danish member of the Committee on Sustainable Development and the Green Economy in International Trade Law (ILA).
Stefan Amarasinha is currently working on investment (FDI) screening under the new EU Regulation set to enter into force on 11 October 2020. He has primary responsibility for policy development regarding trade and national security. From 2014 to 2020 he served as First Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the European Union to the World Trade Organization (WTO) with primary responsibility for rules (safeguards, subsidies and anti-dumping) and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs), as well as press and communication matters. He served as Counsellor, Head of Trade and Economic Section, at the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao from 2010 to 2014 and in the Directorate-General for Trade of the European Commission (Brussels) from 1999 to 2010. From 2004/2005-2010 he was involved in WTO dispute settlement, in particular disputes relating to subsidies (large civil aircraft) and export restraints (raw materials), and served as legal advisor and negotiator to various EU FTAs. From 1999-2004/2005 he represented the European Commission in negotiations and meetings at the WTO, OECD, and UNCTAD on Trade and Competition, Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) and was responsible for issues relating to the functioning and transparency of the WTO. He also served as Trade co-Chair of the OECD Joint Group on Trade and Competition. Prior to joining the European Commission, he was in international law practice at Clifford Chance (London: 1998-99), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Copenhagen: 1996-98) and the Danish Ministry of Interior (Copenhagen: 1993-95).
He holds law degrees from the University of Copenhagen (1993) and Georgetown University (1996) (LL.M with distinction) where he studied as a Fulbright scholar. He has taught and lectured widely on issues relating to international economic law and EU affairs and is currently the Danish member of the Committee on Sustainable Development and the Green Economy in International Trade Law (ILA).
