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美國希望TPP能夠改革國際仲裁機制

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美國希望TPP能夠改革國際仲裁機制

US officials are hailing a new Pacific Rim trade agreement as a vehicle to reform the opaque international arbitration system that for decades has been used to resolve disputes between foreign investors and governments.

美國官員將一項新的環太平洋貿易協議讚譽爲改革不透明的國際仲裁製度的工具。幾十年來,這種不透明的仲裁製度一直被用於解決外國投資者與東道國政府之間的爭端。

President Barack Obama and his administration are trying to blunt criticism from congressional opponents of the Trans-Pacific Partnership like Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who claim the pact — and the “investor-state dispute settlement” mechanism it includes — will let foreign companies challenge domestic environmental, financial, food safety and other regulations before international arbitration panels.

美國總統巴拉克攠巴馬(Barack Obama)及其政府正在努力淡化國會中反對《跨太平洋夥伴關係協定》(TPP)的議員提出的批評,民主黨總統參選人伯尼儠德斯(Bernie Sanders)就是批評者之一。桑德斯認爲,TPP及其包含的“投資者與國家爭端解決機制”(ISDS)將使外國企業能夠在國際仲裁庭上挑戰美國國內的環保、金融、食品安全和其他方面的監管規定。

Even as US businesses and policymakers digest the details of the TPP, which were made public for the first time last week after five years of negotiations, the debate has resonance and consequences for business and governments around the world.

就在美國企業和政策制定者消化TPP細節的時候,這場辯論在世界各地的企業和政府中都產生了共鳴和影響。經過五年的協商之後,TPP的詳細條款於上週首次公之於衆。

Nowhere is that more true than in Europe, where after almost two years of discussions the European Commission unveiled its own proposals to revamp the ISDS system earlier this year and is facing its own political fire over negotiations with Washington.

在歐洲,這種共鳴和影響表現得最爲明顯。經過將近兩年的討論之後,歐盟委員會(European Commission)今年早些時候公佈了自己對於改革ISDS機制的計劃。如今,在歐美貿易談判問題上,歐盟委員會正面臨來自歐洲內部的強烈政治反對。

In Berlin last month more than 150,000 people took to the streets to protest against the so-called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, aiming much of their ire at what they fear would be a move to allow US companies to undermine regulations in the EU and its member states on everything from natural gas “fracking” to the sale of genetically modified agricultural products.

上月,逾15萬人走上柏林街頭,抗議所謂的《跨大西洋貿易與投資夥伴關係協定》(Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership,簡稱:TTIP)。他們的怒火主要源於,他們擔心美國企業將因此能夠破壞歐盟及其成員國在諸多方面的監管規定:從天然氣“水力壓裂”,到轉基因農產品的銷售。

The investment provisions in the US-led TPP and the EU proposals share stated goals to bring greater transparency to the system and close loopholes.

美國主導的TPP以及歐盟計劃中的投資條款,都提出了增強ISDS透明度和堵上漏洞的目標。

The TPP includes language affirming governments’ right to regulate “in the public interest” on the environment, health and other areas. There is also specific language banning tobacco companies from challenging antismoking initiatives as Philip Morris International has in recent years by mounting an ISDS case against Australia over the country’s plain packaging laws.

TPP包含肯定政府有權“從公共利益出發”對環境、衛生和其他領域實施監管,也包含禁止菸草公司挑戰反吸菸倡議的具體規定。近些年來,菲利普莫里斯國際公司(Philip Morris International)曾利用一宗ISDS案挑戰澳大利亞政府的菸草簡單包裝法。

But sceptics remain. Lori Wallach, a trade activist for campaign group Public Citizen, says the TPP’s reforms to ISDS remain too weak. Worse, she argues, the agreement as it stands would make it easier for banks and other financial services firms to challenge new regulations, although US officials dispute that.

但仍有一些人持懷疑態度。Public Citizen的貿易活動家洛麗茠勒克(Lori Wallach)表示,TPP對ISDS的改革仍太軟弱。她認爲,更糟糕的是,當前這份協定將讓銀行和其他金融服務企業能夠更容易地挑戰監管新規,儘管美國官員不同意這一點。

Mike Froman, Mr Obama’s trade tsar, insists that with the TPP the US is setting a high water mark for such investor protection regimes — which are heavily favoured by business groups — and trying to prevent future abuses.

美國貿易代表邁克弗羅曼(Mike Froman)堅稱,有了TPP,美國將爲此類投資者保護機制設定更高的標準,並努力防止未來的濫權行爲。商業集團是特別贊成這類投資者保護機制的。

“It is a reform of the system,” he told the Financial Times in an interview.

“這是對該機制的改革,”他在接受英國《金融時報》採訪時表示。

But he also indicated that differences remain with Europe over its proposals, which include the creation of an appellate mechanism and even, some day, a world court to hear investment disputes.

但他也暗示,就歐洲的計劃而言,美國仍與歐洲存在分歧。歐洲的計劃包括,建立一種上訴機制,甚至有朝一日建立一個世界法院來審理投資爭端。