论WTO协议解释中注重目的解释法的合理性——主要以维护发展中国家的利益为视角

On the Rationality of the Teleological Approach in the WTO Agreement Interpretation: From the Perspective of Protecting the Interests of Developing Countries

WTO专家组和上诉机构在协议解释实践中,经常违反相关国际公法解释习惯规则,过分机械适用约文解释法,拘泥于所用词语的通常意义,漠视WTO协议的发展及其他目的和宗旨,导致其协议解释缺乏正当性,不能有效维护广大发展中国家成员的合法权益。WTO协议存在诸多含义模糊之处及其突出的动态性和原则向性,自然需要目的解释法来澄清含义及填补法律漏洞。WTO协议的目的决定了WTO多边法律制度的本质和主要价值取向,任何违背WTO协议目的的解释都是不允许的。专家组和上诉机构应该将约文解释法、目的解释法及其他解释法平等协调起来,同时,要将WTO协议的目的作为衡量其解释的正当性的重要标准,在不违反WTO明文规定的前提下,充分发挥目的解释法的澄清模糊条款及填补漏洞的特有职能。注重目的解释法的重要性,有利于保证WTO协议的发展目的得以实现,有助于维护广大发展中国家的合法权益。

The WTO Panel and Appellate Body, in their treaty interpretation practices, oiten act against related customary rules for interpreting public international laws, tend to apply the treaty too mechanically, stick to the ordinary meaning of words, and overlook development of the treaty and alternative objects and purposes of the WTO agreements. Such practices result in a lack of legitimacy in their treaty interpretation as well as failure to protect the legal interests of developing countries. The fact that WTO agreements feature too many ambiguous rules and striking dynamics and the principle-orientation naturally necessitates the teleological approach to clarify ambiguity and fill the legal loopholes. The objectives and purposes of WTO agreement determine the nature and main values of the WTO＇ s multilateral legal system, thus any interpretation against these objectives and purposes should he prohibi- ted. The panel and the Appellate Body should harmonize the textual approach, the teleological approach and other approaches in an equal manner. Specifically, they should treat the teleological approach as the essential criteria for the legitimacy of their interpretation and fully make use of its unique functions of clearance and loophole-fillings on the premise of conformity with the expressed rules. An emphasis on the importance of teleological approach could help promote the development the WTO agreements and protect the legal interests of the developing countries.