劳动标准纳入区域自由贸易协定的机制分析

An Analysis on How to Incorporate Labor Standard into Regional Free Trade Agreements

尽管对劳动标准应否纳入区域贸易协定的问题还有争议,但劳动标准纳入区域贸易协定已是不争的事实。从世界范围看,主要存在硬法纳入模式与软法纳入模式,这两种模式的区分并不绝对,主要区别在于硬性要素和软性要素的占比问题;这两种模式也没有绝对的优劣,关键看是否符合缔约国的国内情况。中国目前已有两个区域自由贸易协定纳入劳动标准,但内容属于纯粹的软法。选择软法纳入模式符合中国目前的实际情况。未雨绸缪,未来中国与美国和加拿大谈判区域贸易协定的劳动标准时,应首先强化软法机制方面的共识,如果非纳入硬法要素不可,应力争对其'穿靴戴帽',限制其外部效应。

Although whether labor standard should be incorporated into regional trade agreements is still debatable,the fact is undeniable that labor standard has already been incorporated into a number of regional free trade agreements.Around the world,there exist two modes of such incorporation:hard law mode and soft law mode.The difference between these two modes is not absolute and mainly lies in the percentage of the hard law and soft law.Furthermore,each of the two modes is not absolutely good or bad;the judgment depends on whether it meets the need of specific domestic situation.So far,China has incorporated labor standard into two free trade agreements,but the content all belong to soft law.The soft law mode of incorporation is in consistent with China's specific domestic situation.In the future free trade negotiations with US and Canada,China should first emphasize the consensus on the soft law mode.In case hard law element is insisted on by counter parties,China should try to limit its external effects.