寻找WTO法中的比例原则

虽然国内外学者公认非歧视、透明度及自由化原则是WTO法的基本原则,但对WTO法基本原则的范围及其适用并没有达成一致,而这其中一个最大的争议就是欧洲大陆学者所主张的比例原则是否是WTO法的原则。美国政府及学者对此一般都持反对态度。中国学者研究这一涉及国际法基本理论问题的人还比较少,通过寻找WTO法律文本中体现比例原则的规定和WTO争端解决机构裁决中对这些规定的应用和分析,证明比例原则在WTO法中确实存在,它不但可以在平衡不同的政策目标,削减贸易壁垒及限制贸易报复水平方面起重要作用,而且作为一个工具性原则能起到其它原则起不到的作用。比例原则应该成为约束成员方政府行为及指导WTO法发展的基本原则。

Searching for Proportionality in WTO Laws

Non-discrimination,transparency and liberalization are deemed the fundamental principles of WTO laws both at home and abroad.However,scholars have controversies over the scope and application of the principles of WTO laws.One of the most heated controversies is whether "proportionality" introduce by European continental scholars is within the principles of WTO laws,to which the U.S.government and scholars generally say no.Few Chinese scholars have studied this problem related to the essential doctrines of international law.By studying the provisions concerning proportionality in WTO laws and analyzing how the DSB applies the provisions,one can discover the unquestionable existence of proportionality in WTO legal texts.It can play an important role in balancing different policy objectives,lowering trade barriers and restraining trade retaliation.Furthermore,as an instrumental principle,it functions more than other principles.In this authors opinion,proportionality should become a fundamental principle of WTO laws that disciplines member states and guides the evolution of WTO law.