“区域”内活动的担保国法律保障机制研究

Research on the Legal Prevention Mechanism for Sponsoring States in the Area

在《海洋法公约》国际海底区域制度体系下,担保国的主要义务、担保国责任的构成要件已经比较明确,对于担保国责任的性质也相对明晰。然而,现行法律框架对“合理注意”义务的判断标准、担保责任的范围等问题尚未明确,同时,鉴于在国际海底区域进行勘探开发面临较高的环境风险,担保国依然面临着巨大的责任风险。为有效规避环境损害的赔偿责任,各国应该完善国内深海法律制度,以履行其在该领域的环境保护义务,并且有必要通过反担保制度提高准入门槛,确保承包者有较强的风险承受能力。此外,将责任负担部分转移给承包者或者保险人,担保国的责任能够减轻。担保国责任的不确定性可以通过设定最高赔偿额得以缓解,从而有效降低各国参与国际海底区域活动的责任风险。

Based on the UNCLOS,the obligations and responsibilities and the nature and constituent elements of liability of sponsoring states are clearly defined in the international law.However,as the criteria of“due diligence”and the scope of sponsoring state liability etc.are still not clear,and the exploration and exploitation in the Area is highly risky,sponsoring states are faced with high risk of liability.In order to effectively avoid the liability of environmental damage,sponsoring states should improve their domestic deep seabed legal system to fulfill their environmental obligations in the Area,and it is necessary to impose a high threshold through counter guarantee system as a form of security.In addition,the liability burden can be channeled to the contractor or insurer.Limits on liability can reduce the uncertainty of sponsoring state liability so as to alleviate the liability risk of deep seabed activities.