WTO体制下的动物福利与贸易自由——基于海豹产品案的思考

Animal Welfare and the Free Trade under the WTO System

海豹产品案1是WTO争端解决机构处理的第一起直接以保护动物福利为由进行贸易限制的案件。2013年11月25日该案发布专家组报告,认定欧盟实施的海豹禁令是为了保护动物福利相关的公共道德,且没有超过必要的限度。但同时认定该措施不是以公平公正的方式实施,违背了欧盟在WTO协议下的相关义务。动物福利问题已经进入到国际贸易领域,一些发达国家开始将动物福利标准和贸易挂钩。WTO规则在追求自由贸易目标的同时,要适当兼顾非贸易价值目标——动物福利,在国际义务与国内立法之间寻求适当平衡。

The EC-Seal Products dispute is the first case,made by WTO dispute settlement body,setting trade restrictions directly in order to protect the animal welfare. Panel report,released on November 25th2013,claimed that the implementation of the EU ban on seal products tried to protect the animal welfare as based on a public morals objective,and not exceed the limits of necessity. At the same time,the report indicated that the measure was not a fair and just manner,and had violated the EU relevant obligations under the WTO agreements. Animal welfare issues had entered into the field of international trade. Some developed countries had begun to link animal welfare standards up with trade. The WTO rules,in pursuit of free trade goal,should appropriately give consideration to the non- trade- value goals,such as animal welfare,and find an appropriate balance between the international obligations and the domestic legislations.