TBT協定技術法規判定中的PPM問題研究

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

隨著近年來TBT案件的增多，成員方基於PPM特別是npr-PPM制定實施的貿易措施能否構成TBT協定下技術法規的問題逐漸凸顯出來。作為烏拉圭回合談判各方妥協的結果，TBT協定對技術法規的界定存在結構缺陷和語義模糊，導致學者之間對上述問題存在激烈爭論。通過梳理相關TBT案件可以發現，無論產品標籤所傳遞的PPM訊息是否與產品特徵相關，其均可以構成技術法規；上訴機構確立的充分聯繫標準和對產品特徵範圍的解釋表明，pr-PPM的含義呈現出不確定的限制性擴張趨勢。雖然WTO爭端解決實踐在一定程度上澄清了技術法規判定中的PPM問題，但卻可能對非貿易目標的保護產生新的不利影響。

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.