The impact of plurilateral trade agreements on developing countries – to participate or not to participate?

In the wake of the impasse in the Doha Development Round of multilateral trade talks, sector-specific plurilateral trade agreements (PTAs) have been gaining traction. However, PTAs mostly appeal to developed countries, with the uptake among developing countries (including least-developed countries) being very limited. This article investigates the factors contributing to such a phenomenon, whether there is indeed merit in developing countries playing a more active role in PTAs and how they might be encouraged to do so. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted with specific attention being given to the effects, on a selection of developing countries, of participation in four PTAs: the Trade in Services Agreement, the Government Procurement Agreement, the Environmental Goods Agreement and the Information Technology Agreement II. Among the findings was that although, according to the qualitative analysis, policymakers are generally disinterested in the four PTAs because they are not aligned to the countries’ economic interests or they threaten policy space, the quantitative analysis revealed that gains could often be made from more active participation in these agreements. This clearly points to a research gap and highlights the need for more in-depth analysis of the potential of PTAs in the developing world.     

‘The association that dissociates’ – narratives of local political resistance in Kosovo and the delayed implementation of the Brussels Agreement

ABSTRACT

The existing literature on the EU’s transformative role in the Balkans looks at EU conditionality as a unidirectional system of rewards that is expected to motivate local elites to comply with EU rules. This article raises a different question: how do local actors bypass the implementation phase of EU conditionality and what kind of political resistance narratives do they use for this purpose? The analysis attempts to tackle these inter-related questions by focusing on the delayed implementation of the Brussels Agreement between Belgrade and Pristina as a case study, using the interpretive method of narrative analysis. The article aims to link fieldwork empirics with theoretical discussions in the field of EU compliance literature by stressing the importance of local actors’ resistance to EU incentives. Three levels of analysis will be conducted in order to address the research question: (1) mapping different types of actors at the local level and stressing their heterogeneity; (2) understanding how local resistance to EU pressure evolved in the period 2013–2016; and (3) showing how their policy narratives influenced the implementation phase and the maintenance of the status quo. In conclusion, the analysis shows that the EU’s mediation strategy of ‘constructive ambiguity’ favours local actors’ political resistance, particularly in the implementation phase. The main findings show that ‘dividers’ outnumber ‘connectors’ in local actors’ narratives, thus strengthening political resistance to EU pressure.     

大学生就业协议有关法律问题研究

随着高等学校毕业生就业制度的改革,就业协议制度相继发展起来,并在大学生就业中发挥了重要作用,但在实践中也暴露出不少问题,显然与大学生就业协议定位不准有关。为此,有必要对大学生就业协议的法律性质、主体、法律效力等问题进行探讨,以期对预防和解决大学生就业中的纠纷,进而为大学生就业权益提供有效保障起到一定的积极作用。     

我国BOT融资模式的相关法律制度研究

理清BOT项目融资模式中合同当事人及其之间的法律关系,有益于发现目前BOT融资模式相关立法制度中和实践中存在的法律问题,以期能够在项目实践的改进和将来的立法、修法中,为我国BOT项目融资法律制度的发展建言献策.     

从茅台、五粮液案看最低转售价格维持的反垄断法规制

最低转售价格维持是纵向垄断协议的一种形式,美国对其一直严格适用本身违法原则。2007年Leegin案判决之后,美国对最低转售价格维持转而适用合理原则,但实践中多数州以及一些学者都对该做法持有异议。我国反垄断法第14条严格禁止最低转售价格维持,似乎我国对其倾向于适用本身违法原则,茅台、五粮液案又从实践中印证了此种态度,与"锐邦诉强生公司案"形成不同的处理结果。对于我国这样一个缺乏反垄断法传统的国家来说,在借鉴美国和其他发达国家经验时,不仅要注意最新适用原则的转变,更要仔细甄别具体实施效果,结合我国的实际,对最低转售价格维持做出合理的反垄断法规制。     

In defence of FTAs: from purity to pragmatism in East Asia

This paper discusses the shift in East Asia from a focus on multilateral trade liberalization through the WTO to a pragmatic approach since 1999 favouring bilateral and regional FTAs while continuing to support the WTO system. It is argued that such FTAs are a second-best option compared to WTO agreements. However, while economists may seek the ideal solution, governments will focus on the politically attainable, especially as new multilateral agreements require lengthy negotiations beyond the life span of governments. As the WTO negotiating process has become bogged down, even once sceptical governments in East Asia are turning to FTAs. It is contended that such FTAs could form a lattice network within and across regions. In this context, the paper discusses the underlying security rationale for the conclusion of FTAs, highlighting the nexus between security interests and international economic policy in East Asia.     

Lord Mustill and the Courts of Tennis – Dallah v Pakistan in England,France and Utopia

This note analyses the reasoning of the English and French courts in Dallah Real Estate and Tourism Holding Co v Ministry of Religious Affairs, Government of Pakistan, in which an arbitral tribunal had accepted jurisdiction over the Government of Pakistan on the basis of an arbitration agreement concluded by a trust that was created, controlled, and then extinguished by the Government. It highlights the English courts' clarifications on the degree to which arbitral awards should benefit from the presumption of validity at the stage of enforcement and discusses how the cultural background of the English and French judges – and of the arbitrators – drove them to come to contradictory results. Moreover, it argues that both judges and arbitrators, owing to the way the parties framed their arguments, probably missed the proper solution of the case.     

处理国外海商仲裁案件的一些策略与技巧

总结在处理国外海商仲裁案件时需要采取的策略及运用的案件处理技巧,内容涉及处理仲裁的基本态度,如何避免有关合同中的仲裁条款不一致而引致的严重后果,仲裁员的选择,处理证人证言及选择适当的仲裁程序等方面。     

论婚姻忠诚协议之法律效力——与梁慧星教授商榷

近年来,有关＂夫妻忠诚协议＂法律效力的认定问题成为学界新的讨论热点,我国法院在实践中做法的差异很大。从法律适用逻辑的角度来看,婚姻作为一种制度化的特殊法律行为,不能比照适用一般法律行为规则或契约规则。＂夫妻忠诚协议＂并没有得到现行实定法的认可,故不具有法律效力。而违反婚姻忠实义务应负侵权责任,双方通过协议约定损害赔偿数额的行为不合法。进而,从法社会学层面来检视现行法规定,此类协议的有效性有违现代法律精神,缺乏正当性依据。     

证券承销商包销责任的法律分析——以长江证券增发承销责任为视角

长江证券公司增发股份引发一系列法律问题,如承销商包销责任性质、承销协议效力、包销数量、主承销商与副承销商连带责任、包销抗辩权等。证券承销商包销责任,其性质是法定还是约定,将直接涉及证券发行人与承销商在承销期满后,是否可以协商削减证券包销数量等。证券承销商包销责任,是承销商采取包销方式发行证券所固有的强制性责任,不能随意放弃、削减或豁免。包销证券余额是承销商最为基本的责任和义务,任何削减或豁免承销商证券包销责任的主张和做法,都是与证券发行包销制度相冲突的,不利于我国证券公开发行制度的运行。