TPP谈判中的劳动标准问题

On the Issue of Labor Standard in TPP Negotiation

劳动标准议题是"跨太平洋伙伴协定"(TPP)谈判最有争议的议题之一。鉴于美国、加拿大和新西兰的自由贸易协定实践在处理劳动标准问题方面已经积累比较成熟的经验并且对其他谈判方的贸易协定实践形成较大的影响,可以认为谈判主要是这三个国家的既有实践之间的相互竞争与妥协,并在此基础上达成能够为其他谈判方所接受的方案。目前谈判事实上围绕要求最严格的美国建议文本展开,TPP劳动标准规则的内容因此将主要取决于美国对其既有实践的让步程度。尽管如此,其他谈判方可以通过弱化义务和授权争取有利于本国的谈判结果。

The issue on Labor standard is one of the most contentious items on TPP （Tran Pacific Partnership） negotiation table. Since USA, Canada and New Zealand are more experienced in linking labor standard with Regional Trade Agreement （RTA） and have greater influences on RTA practice of other participants of TPP negotiation, there are reasons to believe that the essence of the negotiation is first the competition and compromise between the representative RTA practices of the three states, and then coming to some proposal that will be accepted by the other participants. As the participants are actually discussing the U.S proposal which is the hardest one among all the proposals, the final content of labor standard will depend on the degree to which US would like to concede. However, with efforts to weaken the obligation and authorization of labor standard provisions, other participants can strive for some results that favor themselves.