从NAFTA到USMCA:投资争端解决机制的变化、成因及启示

From NAFTA to USMCA:Changes,Causes,and Implications of Investment Dispute Settlement Mechanisms

2020年7月生效的《美国—墨西哥—加拿大协定》在投资争端解决机制上一改《北美自由贸易协定》下偏重对投资者权利保护的“新自由主义”精神,回归对国家规制权能的重视。在适用对象、适用争议、适用程序上作出变化与革新。全球价值链收缩及“慢球化”、投资争端解决机制的内在合法性危机以及对东道国规制权力的削弱,是国际投资争端解决机制发生变化的深层次经济、法律与政治动因。《美国—墨西哥—加拿大协定》投资争端解决机制的变化与革新将进一步推动“卡尔沃主义”的回归以及加剧国际投资法体制内部的碎片化趋势。中国应积极支持及推进投资争端解决机制改革,使其发挥正面作用,同时辩证吸收“卡尔沃主义”的合理因素,积极探索诸如前置协商、投诉与帮助以及调解等解决投资者与东道国之间投资争议的多元渠道。

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement(USMCA)that took effect on July 1,2020,has changed the core spirit of the investor-state dispute settlement(ISDS)mechanism under the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA),shifting from“neoliberalism”to“national regulationism.”Compared with NAFTA,USMCA has made considerable changes and innovations in terms of applicable objects,applicable disputes,and applicable procedures of the ISDS mechanism.Such changes and reform have deep-seated economic,legal,and political motivations.The shrinkage and slowbalization of global value chains are the fundamental reasons;the weakening of the host country’s regulatory power by the ISDS mechanism is the direct cause,and last but not least,the inherent legitimacy crisis of the ISDS mechanism plays an indirect role.The changes in the ISDS mechanism of the USMCA will further deepen the return of“Calvo Doctrine”and accelerate the trend of fragmentation of international investment law in the context of ISDS mechanism reform.China is at an important stage of“going out”and“bringing in”in regard to investment.It should give full play to the positive role of the ISDS mechanism while advancing the reform,and broaden the dispute settlement channels between states and investors.