Protection of Property Rights in Crimea: The Tools of International Investment Law compared to the Mechanism of the European Convention on Human Rights

Abstract

The Crimean conflict has been a challenge to the international community not only politically since the role of international law has now been questioned, especially concerning its interpretation and even applicability. As Crimea now falls into the category of an annexed/occupied territory, it is worth examining whether effective protection is afforded to property rights relating to foreign direct investments (fdi s) on Crimean territory. Foreign Direct Investments are usually protected by bilateral investment treaties (bit s) and this paper examines whether the Russia-Ukraine bit can guarantee an effective protection for property and also what other tools may exist for guarantee this protection. The article shows that there are two different “toolkits” which can protect investors’ property rights. Thus, not only the Russia-Ukraine bit can guarantee effective protection of property protection but also another tool, which is the European Convention on Human Rights. Both tools, the Russia-Ukraine bit and the echr protect the property rights and can co-exist.