The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), created in 1930 to handle German reparations from the First World War, has enjoyed a unique international legal position. This status was questioned when the Bank, in 2001, recalled its shares held by private parties. The resulting arbitral award settled the BIS's sui generis legal status, as well as making some important rulings about the application of state responsibility rules to international institutions in cases of expropriation. Additionally, the award provided needed insight as to the use of various methods of valuation of corporate assets in shareholder claims.