承运人责任限额之货币计算单位研究

An exploration on unit of account of carriers' limits of liability

国际货物运输公约一般都规定承运人享有责任限制,但在国际统一立法水平较高的海运和空运领域,承运人责任限额及其货币计算单位并不统一。就责任限额水平问题,不仅《鹿特丹规则》制定时存在争议,中国也有观点认为《维斯比规则》提高了《海牙规则》的责任限额水平。通过对英镑、法郎和特别提款权在空运和海运国际立法中的梳理、比较和实证分析,得出三种货币计算单位各有特点,具有一定历史合理性,不同货币计算单位下的责任限额在不同法律语境下不能简单直接比较,确定适当的责任限额水平要考虑诸多其他因素。

Carriers are generally entitled to limit their liability under international carriage of goods legislation, while the lim- its of liability as well as the units of account thereof remain fragmental. The debate on choosing suitable level of limits of lia- bility had been a very hot topic in the deliberation of Rotterdam Rules. Moreover, views that Visby Rules increases limits of li- ability compared to Hague Rules are held by some Chinese scholars. After a comparative and empirical study on pound ster- ling, poincare gold francs and SDR, conclusions are reached that the above-mentioned three units of account with own pros and cons are preferred to assume historic rational, limits of liability with different units of account appears unsuitable to com-pare directly, and other factors shall be taken into consideration at the same time.