审慎抑或轻率地扩大权利?——WTO争端解决机制第三方制度改革问题述评

Be Prudent or Be Imprudent?——Comments on the Reform of Third Party Participation in the DSM

作为WTO调整争端解决法律依据的规范性文件——《关于争端解决规则和程序的谅解书》在第三方问题上的规定存在着不够明确和完善的地方,由此带来的规则和实践的不一致减损了WTO的可预见性,第三方制度成为WTO争端解决实践中存在较大争议的地方之一。有关第三方制度的改革问题,必须建立在一个正确认识第三方参与对WTO争端解决进程之影响的基础之上。鉴于第三方对于争端解决进程的过多参与将会对争端解决的成本、争端得到早期解决的可能性、争端解决的结果等方面带来众多不可忽视的消极影响,因此,应该在改革第三方制度的过程中采取审慎的而不是轻率的态度。

As the legal basis for the adjustment of the WTO dispute settlement, the DSU does not provides a specific and comprehensive rules for the third party, this result in the inconsistencies of the rules and practice during the course of the dispute settlement, and also detract from the predictability of the WTO. The reform of the third party participation in the WTO must based on a correct foundation. The excess third party participation in the DSM will bring many unnegligible negative impacts to the course of the DSM. These negative influences include but not limited to the cost of dispute settlement ; the probability of the early settlement ; and the outcome of dispute settlement. On account of the negative effects of the excess third participation in the DSM, we should take a prudent attitude in the course of DSU reform.