摘要
GATT/WTO多边贸易体制关于关税同盟和自由贸易区的纪律规定于GATT第24条。然而,在GATT缔约之日起,直至如今,GATT第24条一直是人们苦恼和迷惑之源。人们认为,由于充满"模糊"和"含糊其词的用语",该条的规定"极端宽松"、"异乎寻常地复杂"、"充满漏洞";有人甚至批评说该条是"荒谬的"和"自相矛盾的"。GATT第24条诸款中,引起争议最大的莫过于该条的第8款,该款规定了关税同盟和自由贸易区内部深度区域自由化的义务,本文称之为实体内部标准。本文首先探讨了GATT第24条关于区域贸易安排法律制度的逻辑框架和实体纪律。重点就"深度区域自由化的义务"(内部标准)尽可能全面地加以评释。
The rules and disciplines of customs union and free trade area under GATT/WTO multilateral trade system are stipulated in article 24 of the GATT. However, since the emergence of the GATT and even up to now, the rule of GATT Article 24 has been the source of affliction and confusion. Most are of the view that the discipline as stipulated in that article is extremely elastic, unusually complex and full of holes as a result of the ambiguous wording. Some even argue that the article is fi lled with absurdity and contradiction. Among the several sub-paragraphs in Article 24, paragraph 8 is the most controversial one, which incorporates the obligation of deep regional liberalization of customs union and free trade area, referred in this article as the so called internal benchmark.This article first discusses the logic framework and substantive rules of GATT Article 24, followed by a detailed observation on the obligation of deep regional liberalization in paragraph 8 of that article.
