WTO安全例外條款的限制性適用

Possible Ways to Tame the Mysterious WTO Security Exception

2018年3月，特朗普總統援引模糊的安全例外條款規避WTO對關稅的限制，對WTO爭端解決機制乃至整個貿易體制的可靠性與合法性發起了新的挑戰。WTO安全例外條款作為WTO法律機制之一，至今仍缺乏權威的條款解釋、明確的適用規則以及可參考的判例。本文結合WTO實踐經驗與學術成果，提出互補性方案：劃分安全利益類別，保證適用的靈活性；設立援引的一般性限制，保證適用的普遍性。同時，國際法基本原則應被視為最終救濟手段，維護世界經貿秩序。 In March 2018, based on Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, President Trump attempts to invoke the WTO security exception to protect national interests. Such invocation poses new challenges to the reliability and legitimacy of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism and even the whole trading system. As an indispensable tool of the WTO, GATT XXI has no authorized interpretations, no explicit applying rules, and no precedents. Based on practical experience and academic development, two complementary approaches are practicable to limit the application of security exception. The differentiation of security interests embraces flexibility, while the establishment of general treaty restrictions indicates efficiency. Meanwhile, the fundamental principles of international law shall serve as the last resort. In all, utilizing appropriate tools to restrict the invocation of security exception will be of tremendous importance to the orchestration of the world trade system.