論WTO《SPS協定》與Codex瘦肉精安全標準之適當性

Abstract

「貿易障礙」自GATT到WTO時期均一直被視為是對貿易自由化此一價值的減損或否定，故應予設法消除或管制。然而，任何「自由化」的追求均不宜是毫無限制的。基於此一思考，本文檢視目前WTO中涉及維護人體健康及相關食品安全標準的法律文件—《SPS協定》及其附件A，並以該協定所肯認之一項國際組織的安全標準—瘦肉精（Ractopamine）的殘留值為例，討論維護消費者食品安全法益的貿易障礙是否在追求自由化的國際貿易法律規範中受到過度與不當之限制。經由追溯《SPS協定》設立的歷史背景以及Codex在制定瘦肉精安全標準上之實踐，本文不但發現《SPS協定》在規範層面上存有缺失，並對新自由制度主義（Neoliberal Institutionalism）的基本理論假設提出質疑與修正。

Trade barriers should be eliminated or managed because they contradict or weaken the value of trade liberalization. However, any promotions of liber-alization without limitations or restraints are doubtful. Considering a matter in this aspect, this essay reviews the SPS Agreement and its Annex A which are both legal documents regarding human health protection and food safety standards under the WTO system. Meanwhile, this essay also inspects maxi-mum residue limits (MRLs) for the amount of the drug—Ractopamine—allowed in the tissues of animal, an international standard made by the Codex, delegated by the SPS Agreement. By reviewing the two documents above, this essay examines whether or not the WTO is excessive or unjust to block trade barriers regarding human health protection and food safety standards. Based on the historical background about the formation process of SPS Agreement and the practice of the Codex’s safety standards mentioned in the SPS Agree-ment’s Annex A, this essay does not only point out the flaws in the SPS Agreement, but also rebuts some hypotheses being a part of foundations of international organizations from the Neoliberal Institutionalism perspective.