TBT协定技术法规判定中的PPM问题研究

The PPM Issues in the Determination of Technical Regulation under TBT Agreement

随着近年来TBT案件的增多,成员方基于PPM特别是npr-PPM制定实施的贸易措施能否构成TBT协定下技术法规的问题逐渐凸显出来。作为乌拉圭回合谈判各方妥协的结果,TBT协定对技术法规的界定存在结构缺陷和语义模糊,导致学者之间对上述问题存在激烈争论。通过梳理相关TBT案件可以发现,无论产品标签所传递的PPM信息是否与产品特征相关,其均可以构成技术法规;上诉机构确立的充分联系标准和对产品特征范围的解释表明,pr-PPM的含义呈现出不确定的限制性扩张趋势。虽然WTO争端解决实践在一定程度上澄清了技术法规判定中的PPM问题,但却可能对非贸易目标的保护产生新的不利影响。

The question of whether trade measures based on PPM,especially npr-PPM, constitute technical regulations under TBT Agreement have emerged gradually as TBT cases increased recently. As a compromise of Uruguay Round negotiations, the definition of technical regulation under TBT Agreement has structural flaws and semantic ambiguities, leading to fierce debate among scholars on the above question. Relevant TBT cases suggest that product labelling requirements could be determined as technical regulations no matter whether the PPMs they convey are related to product characteristics or not;the sufficient nexus test and interpretations of products characteristics established by the Appellate Body indicate a vague restrictive expansion of the meaning of pr-PPM. Although WTO dispute settlement practices partly clarify the PPM issues in the determination of technical regulation, they may impose new detrimental impacts on the protection of non-trade objectives in WTO.