论WTO补贴案件报复规则的发展——以美国-陆地棉花案为视角

Development of WTO Rules on Retaliation in Subsidy Cases——From the Perspective of US - Upland Cotton Case

报复在WTO争端解决体系中起着最后救济手段的作用。2009年WTO争端解决机构通过的美国—陆地棉花案DSU第22.6条仲裁裁决,是关于WTO报复的最新司法见解。补贴案件中的报复规则主要涉及报复水平的认定、交叉报复适用的原则和程序两个方面,而美国—陆地棉花案不仅在这两个方面均有涉及,且发表了若干重要见解。作为涉及报复问题最新的WTO仲裁裁决,美国—陆地棉花案对当前补贴案件中的报复规则有诸多发展,其中包括:将SCM协定中规定的反措施与一般国际法上的报复制度相联系;将"贸易影响"作为判定补贴案件报复水平计算的标准;仅允许原告就自己受到的不利影响采取报复措施;坚持"既往不咎"的原则,不允许对已经纠正的违反措施实施报复;澄清补贴案件中的"反措施"仍应遵循DSU第22.3条所规定的报复原则和程序,并确立了判定该条所规定"有效性"的新依据等。

Retaliation is the last resort of remedies in WTO dispute settlement system. Article 22.6 of DSU is an arbitration decision based on the US - upland cotton case reached by DSB in 2009, which is the latest judicial interpretation of WTO retaliation. Rules on retaliation in subsidy cases include determination of retaliation levels, principles and procedures of application of cross sector retaliation. The US - upland cotton case has involved both aspects and some significant statements are proposed. As the latest WTO arbitration award in retaliation cases, the US- upland cotton case has developed many rules in the following aspects： counter measures regulated in the SCM agreement are connected with retaliation system in general international law; The ＂trade impact＂ is considered as standard to calculate the retaliation level in subsidy cases; Only the plaintiff is allowed to take retaliatory measures for his suffering of negative effects; ＂To forgive and not to bear＂ principle should be abided by, that is no retaliation against violations that have been corrected; And ＂counter measures＂ in subsidy cases should still conform to principles and procedures regulated in Article 22. 3 of DSU and new criterion of ＂effectiveness＂ has been defined in such this Article.