赤道原則對我國赤道銀行法律拘束力之研究

Research on the Legal Binding Effect of the Equator Principles on Taiwanese Equator Banks

「赤道原則」為一種「跨國私部門規範」，主要作為風險管理的基礎架構，藉以避免或降低大型基礎建設或產業專案計畫對開發當地環境及社會產生重大負面風險或危害。我國銀行於2015年接續簽署赤道原則，導入赤道原則的貸放風險管控機制及貸放後的監控計畫，至今已有19家公民營銀行參加。2018年我國通過公司法修正，增訂第1條第2項企業社會責任條款，也因此讓赤道原則對我國赤道銀行產生公司法下實質的法律拘束力。當赤道銀行違反赤道原則時，除了違反原先簽署赤道原則契約應遵循的義務外，也違反了我國公司法下的相關義務。

The“Equator Principles”are a kind of“transnational private regulations”that mainly serve as a risk management mechanism to avoid or reduce major negative risks or harm caused by large-scale infrastructure or industrial projects to the local environment and society. Taiwanese banks have continued to sign the Equator Principles since 2015 and used the Equator Principles' lending risk management and control mechanisms and post-lending monitoring plans. So far, 19 private banks have participated. In 2018, Taiwan passed the amendment to the Company Act and added Article 1, Section 2 (the corporate social responsibility clause), thus giving the Equator Principles substantial legal binding force under the Company Act on Taiwanese Equator banks. When Equator banks violated the Equator Principles, it not only violated the obligations it had when signing the Equator Principles contract, but also violated relevant obligations under the Company Act.