对WTO争端解决机制中司法经济原则功能的再思考

Rethinking the Doctrine of Judicial Economy in the WTO Dispute Settlement Process

司法经济原则在WTO语境下的适用,有着不同于国内适用的特点:WTO协定义务的广泛性和冲突规范的欠缺使得专家组对司法经济原则的适用成为必然;在欠缺其他工具对政治问题加以回避的情况下,司法经济原则的适用则可以帮助专家组甚至上诉机构回避政治问题以维持其民主正当性。因此,对于司法经济原则在WTO争端解决机制中的适用,不能简单地加以排斥,这一司法技术工具的正确使用应该考虑到WTO机构之间的分工和平衡。

The application of the judicial economy doctrine in the WTO context has different characteristics than that in domestic judicial process. It is necessary to apply the judicial economy doctrine since the WTO agreements cover a broad range of issues but lack rules of conflicts within the WTO treaty system. Additionally, the judicial economy doctrine would help the first - level panel avoid an issue when it is not essential to the determination of a case or it is questionably out of its authority. The application of the judicial economy doctrine may well reflect the power allocation and balance among the WTO institutions.