普遍服务义务及其私法实现——兼论《民法典》第494条内蕴的公法与私法关系

Universal Service Obligation and Its Realization in Private Law——Relationship between Public Law and Private Law Inherent in Article 494 of China Civil Code

《民法典》第494条规定了三种强制缔约方式,其第2款为落实普遍服务义务最重要的私法措施。普遍服务义务的性质为最终由国家对公民承担的行政给付义务,并非市场主体的义务。其正当性源于技术革新和经济发展对“体面和有尊严的生活”的新要求、因国家职能变迁而兴起的“担保国家”观念、部分基础设施的自然垄断属性等。普遍服务义务的设置需厘定公私畛域,防范企业不当扩张自然垄断的范围,从而阻碍市场化进程。依我国现行法,特定企业承担的普遍服务义务为法定义务,并非其社会责任。我国有必要承认间接强制缔约理论,在所有公共事业领域类推适用电力、电信和邮政领域的普遍服务规范。普遍服务的义务人应获得基金补贴,而不应通过其业务获得交叉补贴。普遍服务义务的实现程度受经济能力和技术水平的双重限制,故强制要约义务原则上不宜强制履行;在强制承诺时,相对人的要约必须合理。违反强制承诺义务的,义务人应承担缔约义务,因此给对方造成损失的,应承担侵权责任。

Article 494 of China Civil Code stipulates three forms of compulsory contracting,and its paragraph 2 is the most important private law measure to implement the universal service obligation.The nature of universal service obligation is the administrative payment obligation which is finally borne by the state to the citizens,not the obligation of the market subject.Its legitimacy stems from new requirements of technological innovation and economic development for“decent and dignified life”,the concept of“guarantee state”arising from the change of state functions,and the natural monopoly nature of some infrastructure.The creation of the universal service obligation requires a demarcation between public and private sectors to prevent enterprises from improperly extending the scope of natural monopoly,and thus impeding the marketization process.According to current regulation,the universal service obligation undertaken by a specific enterprise is a legal obligation,not its social responsibility.It is necessary for China to recognize the theory of indirect compulsory contracting and apply the universal service norms in the fields of electricity,telecommunications and post by analogy in all public utilities.Universal service obligors should be subsidized by the Fund and should not be cross-subsidized through their operations.The realization of the universal service obligation is limited by economic ability and technical level,so the compulsory offer obligation should not be enforced in principle.At the time of compulsory acceptance,the counterparty’s offer must be reasonable.If the obligor violates the obligation of compulsory commitment,he shall bear the contractual obligations,and if the loss is caused to the other party,he shall bear the tort liability.