ABSTRACT

In the ongoing discourse of investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) reform, dispute prevention mechanisms (DPMs) have attracted extensive attention among States. As a typical form of DPM, the investment ombuds mechanism not only serves as a decentralized and cost and time-efficient avenue to resolve disputes before they escalate into investment arbitration but also plays an irreplaceable role in the formation of a plural investment law regime. Despite the mechanism’s unequivocal potential to benefit both investors and States, scholarly research on the topic is scarce. Against this backdrop, this article – learning from relevant practice in areas such as human rights protection – aims to contribute to the literature by outlining the fundamental principles relating to the establishment and operation of investment ombuds institutions, namely independence, accessibility, and effectiveness. It further canvasses the potential challenges to the implementation of the mechanism arising from the unique characteristics of international investment law and dispute settlement procedures. Lastly, it calls for the creation of a three-tiered international ombuds system integrating local laws, treaty rules and multilateral guidance.

摘要

在投资者-国家争端解决（ISDS）改革的持续讨论中，争端预防机制（DPM）引起了各国的广泛关注。作为DPM的一种典型形式，投资申诉机制不仅在争议升级为投资仲裁之前作为一种分散的、具有成本和时间效益的解决纠纷的途径，而且在形成多元化的投资法律制度方面发挥着不可替代的作用。尽管该机制具有使投资者和国家都受益的明确潜力，但有关该主题的学术研究却很少。在此背景下，本文借鉴人权保护等领域的相关实践，旨在通过概述与投资监察机构的建立和运作相关的基本原则，为文献做出贡献，即独立性、可访问性和有效性。它进一步探讨了国际投资法和争端解决程序的独特性对机制实施的潜在挑战。最后，它呼吁建立一个集地方法律、条约规则和多边指导为一体的三层国际监察系统。