The Scientific and Educational Laboratory for Research in the Field of Protecting State Interests under Economic Sanctions invites you to a seminar on the topic: "The evolving relationship between investment screening and investor protection"
Speaker: Kristine Khanazadyan is the co-founder and lecturer within the International Courts and Arbitration LL.M. program at Yerevan State University, where she teaches courses in investment law and international arbitration.
The rapid expansion of foreign investment screening mechanisms has significantly reshaped the contemporary landscape of international investment law. Foreign direct investment is increasingly assessed not only through the lens of economic liberalization, but also against considerations of national security, strategic autonomy, critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and technological sovereignty. In response to geopolitical tensions, supply chain vulnerabilities, and economic security concerns, states worldwide are adopting or strengthening legislative frameworks allowing governments to review, condition, or restrict foreign investments in sensitive sectors.
Within this evolving framework, the European Union has played a central role through the adoption of the EU FDI Screening Regulation, which established a coordinated cooperation mechanism among Member States and encouraged the development and expansion of domestic screening regimes across Europe. Similar approach has been observed globally, reflecting the emergence of a new layer within foreign investment regulatory frameworks.
At the same time, states continue to compete for foreign capital and seek to maintain attractive and predictable investment climates. This creates a need for balance between preserving sovereign regulatory discretion (right to regulate) and upholding international investment protection standards.
This webinar will explore the evolving relationship between investment screening mechanisms and investment protection obligations. It will examine how states seek to reconcile strengthened screening powers with the need to preserve investor confidence, legal certainty, and investment attractiveness in an increasingly complex geopolitical and economic environment.
Speaker: Kristine Khanazadyan is the co-founder and lecturer within the International Courts and Arbitration LL.M. program at Yerevan State University, where she teaches courses in investment law and international arbitration. She is also a Partner at Equity Law Partners, a Yerevan-based law firm specializing in dispute resolution and strategic advisory. Prior to establishing their private practice with her colleague, she served within the Government of Armenia as Head of Arbitration Team, representing the State in international dispute resolution proceedings, including ISDS and commercial arbitration proceedings.
The event will be held online
Registration link: https://pravo.hse.ru/intlaw/protection/polls/1167457143.html
