Unification of Special Norms and the Balance of Public and Private Interests in the Investment Dispute Settlement System

The article presents the findings of a study on the unification of special norms applicable to the settlement of international investment disputes and on the legal conditions for maintaining a balance between public and private interests within existing and prospective institutional frameworks. The research analyses the legal nature and functional constraints of current dispute settlement procedures and substantiates the role of legal certainty, legality, and procedural predictability in ensuring consistent interpretation and application of special norms. It argues that institutional modernisation, including the development of multilateral treaty frameworks and permanent adjudicatory mechanisms, may serve as a means to reduce fragmentation of investment protection regimes while preserving the State’s capacity to regulate in the public interest within the boundaries of its international obligations. The study emphasises that investment protection should evolve in a manner compatible with public order considerations, national security requirements, and the prioritisation of State interests, including the protection of the sovereignty of the Russian Federation.