自由贸易协定新议题辨析

New Trade Issues in FTAs

新议题成为当下自由贸易协定谈判的重要内容和追求目标,但对于何为新议题目前并无国际共识。自由贸易协定新议题既是一个时间性概念,也是一个相对性概念,它代表了管制对象和管制措施的发展,同时又因谈判方、谈判事项或谈判场所而具有不同的含义。自由贸易协定新议题很大程度上是世界贸易组织多边谈判议题的继续或延伸,并非全新议题,借由自由贸易协定这一工具将不同议题联系进来,赋予旧议题以新的形式。与现有自由贸易协定相比,新议题进一步深化和拓展了已有规则的适用范围。新议题对中国自由贸易协定谈判提出了新挑战。

New trade issues are becoming integral parts of FTAs negotiated or concluded.Though there is no wide-accepted definition of new trade issues,we may define them in terms of contents which are vary with time.The specific contents of various FTAs may not be the same,deperding on actual negotiating results of FTA parties,but they could be roughly classified into two types-regulatory measures and regulated economic activities.New trade issues in FTAs are to some extent those negotiated during the multilateral WTO negotiations,especially in the Doha Development Round which is in impasse.New trade issues can be linked with different issues by FTA,some of which are old ones in a new form.Compared to FTAs concluded in past,new trade issues in FTAs currently negotiated or in consideration mainly concern application of currents rules to new specific economic activities or new economies.New trade issues in FTAs are really new to China's FTA negotiation and China must rise to the challenges.