国际经贸争端解决路径的新实践及其时代价值——基于WTO上诉仲裁第一案的考察

The New Practice and Realistic Meaning of the International Economic and Trade Dispute Settlement Approach——An Examination Based on the First Appeal Arbitration Case under the WTO

国际经贸争端解决机制是国际经济秩序的重要保障。然而,2019年年底WTO上诉机构停摆以来,国际经贸争端解决路径正呈现一种分化的趋势,这给争议解决结果带来了不确定性。未来两年将是WTO争端解决机制改革十分关键的阶段。2022年7月,“欧盟诉土耳其有关药品生产、进口和销售措施案”首次以临时上诉仲裁的方式成功解决双方经贸争端,是国际经贸争端解决路径的一大突破。一方面,该案首次将临时上诉仲裁争端解决路径应用于实践;另一方面,在审理期限、裁判效率等程序方面回应了此前一些WTO成员对上诉机构裁判实践的质疑。从中长期看,本案以及后续上诉仲裁实践将为部分成员间争端解决提供一种路径选择,关键还在于为WTO上诉机构最终改革方案提供实践测试和参考,这或比匆忙达成一份改革协议更有利于多边贸易体制的发展,在WTO争端解决进程中具有历史性意义。

The international economic and trade dispute settlement mechanism is an important guarantee for the international economic order.However,since the suspension of the WTO Appellate Body at the end of 2019,the approach of international economic and trade dispute settlement has shown a divergent trend,which has brought uncertainty to the final outcome of the cases.The following two years will be a very critical period for the reform of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.In July 2022,the Turkey-Certain Measures Concerning the Production,Importation and Marketing of Pharmaceutical Products was successfully resolved by means of interim appeal arbitration for the first time,which is a major breakthrough in the approach of international economic and trade dispute settlement.On the one hand,this case firstly takes the interim appeal arbitration model into practice.On the other hand,it responds well to some WTO members,previous criticisms to the Appellate Body in terms of trial deadline,judicial efficiency,and other procedural issues.In the medium and long term,this case and subsequent appellate arbitration practices will provide a new approach for dispute resolution among some members,and the key lies in providing practical testing and reference for the final reform plan of the WTO appellate body.It may be more conducive to the development of the multilateral trade system than reaching a reform agreement hastily,and has historical significance in the WTO dispute settlement process.