論WTO爭端解決DS583案仲裁裁決的性質

On the Validity of DS583 Arbitration Award

DS583爭端方依據DSU第25條提起仲裁，並將其“視為”上訴仲裁。“仲裁”與“上訴”本是兩個性質不同的爭端解決方式，二者為替代關係，不能同時作為同一個爭端的解決手段。WTO部分成員之間達成的MPIA，起到了銜接兩個程序的作用。“DS583仲裁程序”實質為MPIA下的上訴仲裁程序的第一次實操，其裁決具有上訴仲裁裁決的效力，即該裁決為終局裁決，對雙方具有法律約束力，且不會被撤銷或被宣佈無效。原因在於“DS583仲裁程序”與MPIA下的仲裁程序基本一致，且“DS583仲裁程序”處理的實體問題為“專家組結論”，而不是引起爭端發生的最初爭議措施。在上訴機構無法正常運行的情況下，DS583通過實質上為MPIA下的上訴仲裁程序解決了上訴問題，重新樹立了成員對WTO爭端解決機制的信心。

The DS583 disputing party initiated arbitration in accordance with Article XXV of DSU and regarded it as an appeal arbitration. ''Arbitration'' and ''appeal'' are originally two different dispute settlement methods. They are substitutes and cannot be used as the means of settlement of the same dispute at the same time. The MPIA reached by some WTO members has played a role in connecting the two procedures. In essence, the DS583 arbitration procedure is the first practice of the appeal arbitration procedure under MPIA, and its award has the effect of the appeal arbitration award, that is, the award is final and legally binding on both parties, and will not be revoked or declared invalid. The reasons are that the DS583 arbitration procedure is basically the same as the arbitration procedure under Annex 1 of MPIA, and the substantive issues handled by the DS583 arbitration procedure are from the report of the expert group, not the initial dispute measures that caused the dispute. In the case that the Appellate Body could not operate normally, DS583 solved the appellate issue through the appellate arbitration procedure under MPIA in essence, and to a certain extent reestablished the confidence of members in the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.