GATS有關電信服務規範之研究：以台彎管裡電信服務業之實踐為研究中心

Abstract

世界貿易組織（WTO）的最高理想就是創造一個自由的貿易環境，讓所有的消費者都能以最低的價格獲得最佳的服務，其中有關服務貿易自由化就以GATS（General Agreement on Trade in Service）規範之。 電信服務業也屬於GATS規範的標的範圍內，故各個WTO會員國如無例外，皆受有GATS所設的義務及享有GATS所創的權利。但由於電信服務業牽涉的利益龐大，且其產業的特性也與眾不同，規範起來就格外棘手。 有鑑於此，GATS對於電信服務業的規範大致可分為GATS本文、電信附件、電信談判基本附件、電信參考文件等。其中有關於電信參考文件由於是各個會員國另外以額外承諾的方式於其承諾表做出承諾，並非每個會員國皆必然受有拘束。 上述有關各份文件，其內容規定略有差異，但不外乎一個宗旨，就是貿易自由化。我國身為WTO會員國一員，自然有其必要理解各份文件代表意義，及其對我國的影響。此外，我國若欲對他國主張其有違反GATS義務，亦應對之有基本的認知。於此為本論文的第一個目的。 台灣電信服務產業如同其他很多國家一樣，都是由政府率先成立一家巨大的電信服務業，提供國內所有人民所需的電信服務。但這樣的國營事業為了因應WTO的規範，面臨到其他新進業者的競爭。不僅是國內法規的不再予以保障，甚至更要國營電信事業有讓其他新進業者與之互連、共用樞紐設施等的不對稱管制。 於是，本論文的第二個目的，在於檢視我國國內電信法規是否符合我國於GATS下的義務規範，包括GATS本文、電信附件、電信談判基本附件、電信參考文件等的義務。若有不符合，則應有改善，若已符合，是否更有放寬使競爭更公平的必要，以臻GATS精神？

The highest object of WTO is to create a free trade environment to let all consumers buy the best services with the cheapest price, and the service liberalization is regulated by GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Service). If there is no exception, the Telecommunication Service industry also belongs to the scope of GATS, so every WTO member bears the obligation and enjoys the right under GATS. However, since the huge benefit behind the Telecommunication Service industry, and the unique of this industry, it is especially intractable to manage and regulate. So, the regulation under GATS to manage the Telecommunication Service industry could be divided into following categories: the text of GATS, Annex on Telecommunications, Annex on Negotiations on Basic Telecommunications, the Reference Paper, and so on. As for the Reference Paper, because it is committed by WTO members in the form of additional commitment in their Specific Commitment, not every WTO member is bound by Reference Paper. The every document mentioned above, though deferent each other, has the same object, which is trade liberalization. Being as a member in WTO, we should understand every meaning behind those documents, and the effect of them. In addition, if we are going to challenge other countries inconsistent with the obligation under GATS, we should also obtain the basic understanding of it. This is the first purpose of this thesis. Like many other countries, Taiwan’s Telecommunication Service industry was set up by government to provide inner people with the service they need. However, this kind of government-operated industry is no longer being able to compete with new market-incomers because of the WTO requirement. Domestic regulation not only ceased the protection of incumbent company, but also allowed the new market-incomers to interconnect with them. The government asked them to share the hinge equipment, and executed such kind of asymmetric regulation. So, the second purpose of this thesis is to exam whether our domestic regulation is consistent with our obligation under GATS or not, including the text of GATS, Annex on Telecommunications, Annex on Negotiations on Basic Telecommunications, the Reference Paper, and so on. If there is any violation, we should improve it; if there is no violation, still, we should consider whether we could liberalize more to make the competition fairer to achieve the goal of GATS.