Provisional Application of Energy Treaties by the Russian Federation

International agreements are of particular importance in interstate energy cooperation. The application by the Russian Federation of the mechanism of temporary application of treaties in the field of energy requires a comprehensive analysis, taking into account the problems that have arisen in connection with the provisional application of the Energy Charter Treaty and subsequent amendments to Article 79 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The general and sectoral approaches to the provisional application of treaties that exist in Russian practice need to be improved.

The paper analyzes and compares the norms of international law and Russian legislation regulating the provisionary application of treaties, the works of Russian scientists, which highlight the general problems of the provisional application of treaties by the Russian Federation, as well as the final provisions of treaties of the Russian Federation in the field of energy.

The author identifies common gaps in the norms of Russian legislation regulating the provisional application of treaties, trends and problems of the provisional application of multilateral and bilateral treaties by the Russian Federation in various energy sectors.

The author concludes that the new approach should be based on a restrictive approach to the use of the institute of provisional application of treaties regarding terms and types of treaties. The treaties to which a special restrictive approach should be applied are to include those that have significant financial and economic consequences, provide for expenditures or lost revenues of the budget of the Russian Federation, regulate taxes, duties, and the provision of state credit; agreements on the borders, delimitation of maritime spaces, the status or regime of individual territories; and agreements that provide for the mandatory jurisdiction of judicial and arbitration bodies.

The continuous improvement of international legal regulation in the field of energy should be a separate state task, since, despite numerous skeptical assessments, international law plays a special role and will be of great importance in the regulation of international relations, including in the field of energy.

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