美国农产品出口信贷担保项目的合法性分析:以WTO法为视角

农产品出口信贷担保项目是美国鼓励其农产品出口和争夺海外市场的重要有效手段。在WTO法律框架下,美国农产品出口信贷担保项目合法性的判断,关键看它是否构成《农业协定》下的对出口承诺的规避或规避威胁,是否在《SCM协定》的管辖范围内并且构成《SCM协定》下的禁止性补贴。"巴西诉美国陆地棉补贴案"首次对美国农产品出口信贷担保项目的合法性提出了质疑,并认定该项目构成出口补贴和禁止性补贴,违反了《农业协定》和《SCM协定》的规定。为了应对美国农产品出口信贷项目对我国农业利益的潜在侵害,我国应通过双边谈判敦促美国修改其农产品出口信贷担保项目,积极推动WTO多边贸易谈判以达成相关规则,必要时诉诸WTO争端解决机制等法律程序。     

WTO改革背景下《补贴与反补贴措施协议》中"公共机构"法律解释的反思

WTO《补贴与反补贴措施协议》中"公共机构"的法律解释问题备受争议,也是WTO改革涉及的突出问题之一.无论是"政府控制标准"还是"政府权力标准"都存在缺陷,将"公共机构"解释为"政府之外为政府拥有的实体"更为适当.对我国而言,"政府权力标准"并不可靠;即便依照该标准,争端解决中我国涉案国有企业仍被认定为公共机构,这样,在未来的WTO改革谈判中我国继续坚持该标准的意义已不大,不如以之为筹码去换取其他成员在其他方面的让步.     

论GATT/WTO争端解决机制的性质

本文提出并论证WTO争端解决机制是一种国际司法体制的观点.文章首先论证GATT争端解决机制的准司法性;继而在给出国际司法体制的构成要件的前提下,从正面论证WTO争端解决机制是一种国际司法体制;进而对几种反对论(如WTO争端解决机制是调解体制;是仲裁体制;等等)提出了自已的反对意见;最后分析了WTO争端解决机制作为一种国际司法体制的独特性以及明确WTO争端解决机制独特司法性对我国的意义.     

WTO与RTAs争端解决机构管辖权冲突的成因分析

学界普遍认识到WTO争端解决机构与RTAs争端解决机构存在着管辖权冲突的问题,那么导致这一冲突产生的原因是什么呢?概括起来,主要有三个方面的原因:一为争端当事方在不同的争端解决机制下进行的"重复诉讼"行为或"对抗诉讼"行为是导致管辖权冲突的直接原因;二为趋利避害的"挑选争端解决机构"是管辖权冲突产生的内在动因;三为WTO争端解决机制与RTAs争端解决机制关于管辖权制度的差异与不协调是造成管辖权冲突的根本原因。     

WTO争端解决中的司法克制及其对我国的启示

源于GATT四十多年争端解决实践中的"司法克制"思想,在WTO时代也得以"衣钵继承"并呈现出新的特色.作为GATT /WTO争端解决机制从"外交取向"向"司法取向"演化不可或缺的"重要缓冲"和"润滑剂",它不仅贯穿着GATT /WTO争端解决机制"司法取向"的全过程,而且两者的"博弈共存"对国际贸易争端解决方式不断"机制化"从不同侧面发挥着各自的作用.可以预见,即便WTO争端解决机制演化成国际贸易法院,基于国家主权价值和多边贸易体制的特殊性等原因,"司法克制"思想也绝不会"销声匿迹".我国作为WTO的成员,应从"司法克制"的历史轨迹与现实运作中获得理性启示,籍以善用WTO争端解决机制,为我国的对外贸易保驾护航.     

中国-东盟自由贸易区投资争端解决机制构建浅析

中国-东盟自由贸易区投资争端解决机制的构建是中国-东盟各国经济的合作与发展的客观要求.争端解决机制不仅包括成员国政府之间、成员国政府与另一成员国私人之间的投资争端解决机制,还应当包括成员国私人与另一成员国私人之间的投资争端解决机制,应当建立统一的司法协助体系.     

论WTO争端解决机制的特色——以与GATT的对比为核心

WTO争端解决机制是在GATT争端解决机制的基础上建立起来的。WTO争端解决机制作为向多边贸易体制提供安全及可预见性的核心制度,是成员方解决政府间贸易争端的强制性及排他性的合法渠道,是一种以法律规则为基础的国际争端解决机制。本文试从GATT到WTO争端解决机制的形成过程入手,并从争端解决方式,处理步骤,约束力方面以及对发展中国家的影响四方面对GATT和WTO下的争端解决机制进行对比分析,在此基础上,针对我国国情,对中国适用争端解决机制时提出一些建议。     

法律行为生效要件体系的重构

我国民法理论认为,法律行为生效需具备成立要件与有效要件;法律行为成立后,是否有效不明,只有再符合有效要件,才能发生法律效力。然而,无论是从成立要件关涉保障自治、有效要件关涉限制自治,还是从成立要件具有肯定性、有效要件具有否定性,甚或从诉讼法上成立要件事实由主张法律行为上权利者举证、有效要件事实由否认法律行为效力者举证的角度来看,此种"正面"、"并列"规定有效要件与成立要件的做法均有不妥。通过建立"成立推定有效"规则,并使积极性的"有效要件"转变为消极性"效力阻却事由",可改进这些弊病。这一方案厘清了各种影响法律行为生效的因素之间,以及其与私人自治的私法主导原则之间的意义脉络,并藉"成立要件+效力阻却事由"的制度构造建立了法律行为生效的"要件体系",从而凸显了私人自治对法律行为效力发生的决定性作用,并使私人自治获得体系性实现。     

论WTO农产品补贴争端案对我国的启示

农业补贴是发达国家进行农业保护、干预农产品贸易极为重要的手段.在世界贸易自由化和各国加大农业支持的背景下,农产品贸易成为世界贸易最为敏感和关注的领域之一,农产品贸易争端愈演愈烈,农产品贸易也成为多哈回合各成员方争议和关注的焦点.因此,研究如何通过运用wTO中的争端解决机制来解决国际农产品贸易补贴争端,对我国农业补贴政策的完善具有实践意义和理论意义.     

国家管辖豁免的转向——以“一带一路”工程商业争端为视角

在涉"一带一路"工程商业争端案例中,我国法院对被告为外国政府的案件行使管辖权,表明我国法院在实践中已经实际放弃了绝对豁免论,对限制豁免论进行了有益探索。绝对豁免论限制了我国企业通过本国法院进行救济的途径,也给司法实践带来困惑和障碍;限制豁免论符合世界趋势、正在成为习惯国际法,我国立法、司法实践中发生着豁免立场的缓慢转向,结合学术界主流观点,限制豁免立场更有利于保护我国利益。由于颁布统一国家豁免法的时机尚未成熟,判例确立限制豁免规则在我国的不可行性,通过制定单行法的方式解决我国"一带一路"项目纠纷中国家管辖豁免无法可依的问题不失为一种有效途径。颁布限制豁免原则的单行法,一方面使我国企业在国内法院起诉外国政府具有可能性,为"一带一路"工程商业争端解决提供国内司法保障;另一方面使法官以法为据,提高裁判文书质量和法院的国际影响力。     

A technology network for economic development

A technology delivery system designed to provide small and medium-sized businesses with improved access to technological resources for enhancing their productivity and competitiveness has been tested under controlled conditions in the southeastern United States. The demonstration project involved federal research laboratories, state universities, National Information Service and Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and technology users in the private sector. The results of the 18 month project are reported and assessed to identify the conditions for the establishment of a national technology network for small and medium sized firms.     

A Practical Guide to Conducting VA Compensation and Pension Exams for PTSD and Other Mental Disorders

Despite being one of the most common forensic mental health evaluations, no article has ever appeared in a peer-reviewed journal describing how to conduct US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health compensation and pension examinations. This article rectifies that paucity of information. We outline the legal framework, ethical considerations, and administrative challenges inherent in these evaluations. We provide separate guidelines for private practice clinicians and VA staff or contractors. We pay special attention to the multiple sources of collateral information available for these exams and how to access relevant records. The article alerts examiners to the possibility that they might face resistance from VA officials if they screen for and assess symptom exaggeration or feigning and that they could encounter VA-imposed restrictions on time allotted for exams. Specific suggestions are made for different types of exams: Initial Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), PTSD Review, Initial Mental Disorder, and Mental Disorder Review.     

Advisory groups

Technology transfer to local governments has often been accompanied by the formation of advisory groups of expert scientists and engineers. This paper argues that such groups are difficult to manage and that overcoming their weaknesses is more than a question of the good intentions, public dedication, and managerial competence found in the Mayor's Science and Technology Advisory Council of Philadelphia. The necessary management requires tough negotiation in focusing on a limited agenda of issues, formal preparation of experts by city staff, and follow-through on non-technical aspects of the innovation process. Such managerial requisites can seem contrary to the very notion of an expert panel of scientists and engineers. He also is co-editor of this journal. Previously, he was deputy assistant secretary for science and technology at the US Department of Commerce.     

论商会组织的跨法人运作

本文分析了商会跨法人运作的基本形式及主要目的。认为商会跨法人运作会带来商会运作营利化、损害法人人格及公共资源不合理使用等问题;提出了商会跨法人运作的监管对策,应禁止商会成立和控制其它社团;允许商会成立民办非企业单位,但禁止商会形成对民办非企业单位的控制;允许商会跨法人经营企业,但应给予更细致的规范。     

The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 public law 96-480

The Stevenson Technology Innovation Act of 1980 has passed Congress and has been signed by the President. The legislation accomplishes two main functions. The first part establishes an Office of Industrial Technology in the Department of Commerce which will oversee the establishment of a wide variety of university-affiliated centers. The Centers will: 1) Perform research supportive of technological and industrial innovation including cooperative industry-university basic and applied research; 2) provide assistance to individuals and small businesses in the generation, evaluation and development of technological ideas supportive of industrial innovation and new business ventures; 3) provide technical assistance and advisory services to industry, particularly small businesses; and 4) provide curriculum development, training, and instruction in invention, entrepreneurship, and industrial innovation. The second part of the Act is concerned with the utilization of Federal Technology. Some of the provisions are: 1) Each Federal Laboratory shall establish an Office of Research and Technology Applications; 2) each Federal laboratory having a total annual budget exceeding $20,000,000 shall provide at least one professional individual full-time as staff for its Office of Research and Technology Application; and 3) after September 30, 1981 each Federal agency shall make available not less than 0.5 percent of the agency's research and development budget to support the technology transfer function of the Office of Research and Technology Applications. The legislation also establishes a Center for the Utilization of Federal Technology in the Department of Commerce to serve as a central clearinghouse for the collection, dissemination, and transfer of information on Federally owned or originated technology having potential application to State and local government and to private industry.     

对美国商务部有关汇率低估构成可诉补贴规则的合规性分析

美国商务部新近颁布实施的《补贴税调查程序中有关利益和专向性的修订规则》与世界贸易组织《SCM协定》的规则和实践不符;该修订规则缺乏《SCM协定》中有关提供补贴的适格主体的内容,把汇率低估视为补贴的做法与《SCM协定》行为要件“财政资助”和结果要件“授予利益”的规则和实践也不相符;而把有跨国购买或销售行为的企业视为专向性考察中的一组企业的规定也与《SCM协定》的规则和实践相左;另外,修订规则将汇率低估视为补贴也缺乏国内法的依据。修订规则为美国肆意征收反补贴税大开方便之门,成为贸易保护主义的新武器。我国应该在美国国内司法体系和世界贸易组织多边架构下挑战这一修订规则,纠正美方的贸易保护主义做法。     

THE CASE OF EXPORT CARTEL EXEMPTIONS: BETWEEN COMPETITION AND PROTECTIONISM

Most competition laws do not prohibit anticompetitive conductthat affects foreign target markets as long as there is no spillover effect on the home market. The U.S. in particular justifiesthis leniency towards export cartels by the aim of increasingefficiency in target markets that are suffering from high entrancebarriers for importers. Attempts to use the legal regime ofthe WTO to overcome private restrictions of competition arelikely to fail, because of the fundamental differences betweentrade policy and competition policy. Although a multilateralcompetition policy would be best suited to challenge exportcartels, the current state of the political debate makes itmore likely that second-best solutions such as capacity buildingin lesser developed target states will have to be established.     

E-COMMERCE — US: PROPOSED US LEGAL SOLUTIONS TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

This article explores the legal framework and current thinking governing US attempts to resolve the legal problems associated with the development of Electronic Commerce in the United States.     

Competition policy: consequences of restrictive trade practices and price-fixing provisions for medical practitioners in Australia and New Zealand

Competition laws have only applied to many participants in the health care industry in Australia and New Zealand since the mid 1990s. Since then, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has considered a number of applications by medical practitioner associations and private hospitals to authorise potentially anti-competitive conduct, while the New Zealand Commerce Commission has successfully prosecuted a group of ophthalmologists. Amongst medical practitioners, however, there is still confusion and misunderstanding concerning the type of conduct caught by the Australian Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) and the New Zealand Commerce Act 1986 (NZ). This is of serious concern given the substantial penalties associated with price-fixing and restrictive trade practices. This article examines the provisions of these Acts most relevant to medical practitioners as well as a number of determinations and judicial decisions. To provide practical assistance to medical practitioners, the key lessons are extracted.     

Determination of regulatory review period for purposes of patent extension; Therma Choice Uterine Ballon Therapy System. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined the regulatory review period for Therma Choice5 Uterine Ballon Therapy System and is publishing this notice of that determination as required by law. FDA has made the determination because of the submission of an application to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Department of Commerce, for the extension of a patent which claims that medical device.