世贸组织上诉机构对司法节制原则的适用

The Exercise of Judicial Economy by the WTO Appellate Body

尽管对《关于争端解决规则与程序的谅解》第17条第12款进行严格解读可能得出世界贸易组织上诉机构无权适用司法节制原则的结论,但这一问题仍然存在争议。实践中,上诉机构在很多案件中都适用了司法节制原则。当上诉机构认为解决一个实体问题对于解决争端并非必要时,往往出于司法节制的考虑不对相关实体问题予以审查。此外,无论上诉机构对于实体性请求予以支持,还是反对,抑或不予审查,其常常不会审理与之捆绑的程序请求。除了司法节制本身的考虑,上诉机构还会运用司法节制原则规避对某些疑难体系性问题的审理。

A strict interpretation of the Article 17.12 of Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes（DSU） may render that the Appellate Body is not authorized to exercise judicial economy. Nevertheless, this issue remains controversial. In the dispute settlements of the WTO, the Appellate Body has exercised judicial economy in many cases. If the Appellate Body found it unnecessary to address a substantive issue for the purpose of dispute settlement, it would not review this issue out of the consideration of judicial economy. Besides, no matter if the Appellate Body upheld,reversed or made no finding on a substantive claim, it often made no finding on the relevant procedural claim. In addition to saving judicial resources, the Appellate Body may also exercise judicial economy to avoid reviewing certain knotty systemic issues.