中國加入世界貿易組織時承諾,在對中國企業(yè)進行反傾銷調查時,可以繼續(xù)將中國視為非市場經(jīng)濟國家對待,最長不超過 15 年,這就是入世承諾的“非市場經(jīng)濟條款”。據(jù)此,很多國家仍然視中國為非市場經(jīng)濟國家,在進行反傾銷調查時,不承認中國企業(yè)的國內銷售價格和成本數(shù)據(jù),采用替代國價格認定中國企業(yè)的正常價值。但是,這些國家在不采納中國企業(yè)國內銷售價格作為正常價值的同時,繼續(xù)認為中國企業(yè)的出口完全受國家控制,因此不給予中國企業(yè)單獨稅率,只給整個國家一個統(tǒng)一稅率。
本文試圖從目前的法律規(guī)定中對單獨稅率問題進行分析,論證其是否合法。筆者認為,根據(jù)WTO 的相關規(guī)定,以及中國加入世貿組織的法律文件,在單獨稅率問題上目前美國和歐盟的法律規(guī)定和做法與WTO 規(guī)定不符。
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一、WTO 框架下的法律淵源
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關于非市場經(jīng)濟待遇和單獨稅率問題,在 WTO 法律框架下,可以援引的法律淵源包括WTO 法律文本和中國加入世界貿易組織法律文件(相關條文附后)。
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WTO 法律文本中涉及非市場經(jīng)濟問題的條款有 GATT 1947 第 6 條及其注釋和補充規(guī)定,以及《反傾銷協(xié)議》中的個別條文。
從 WTO?的法律條文上看,對于非市場經(jīng)濟國家,在進行價格比較時,滿足一定條件的,可以認定出口價格與中國國內價格嚴格比較不適當,可以采用替代國的價格確定中國產(chǎn)品的正常價值。從法律條文的含義來看,該條文主要說的是如何確定中國產(chǎn)品正常價值的問題。GATT?1947?第?6?條規(guī)定:“…the?price?of?the?product?exported?from?one?country?to?another?is?less than the comparable price,?in the ordinary course of trade, for the like product when destined for consumption?in?the?exporting?country…”該條注釋的表述為:“…importing?contracting?parties may find it necessary to take into account the possibility that a strict comparison with domestic?prices?in?such?a?country may?not?always?be?appropriate.”GATT?1947?第 6 條及其注釋和補充規(guī)定中的用詞為“可比價格”(comparable?price)或“與國內價格嚴格比較”(a?strict?comparison with?domestic?prices),即主要說的都是在確定出口價格的可比價格——也就是正常價值——的時候可以對非市場經(jīng)濟國家采取不同的方法。此條文并未涉及如何認定出口價格問題,未允許調查機關可以不使用出口國企業(yè)的出口價格。(反傾銷協(xié)議第 2.1?條和第 2.2?條文字表述與 GATT1947?第 6 條相同)
而反傾銷協(xié)議第6.10條規(guī)定:“The authorities shall, as a rule, determine an individual?margin?of dumping for each known exporter or producer concerned of the product under investigation.”按照此條規(guī)定,調查機關應當對每一個企業(yè)確定一個單獨的傾銷幅度,不能對整個所有中國企業(yè)給一個統(tǒng)一稅率。
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中國加入WTO 法律文件的法律條文中,其文字表述也只涉及如何認定正常價值,不涉及如何認定出口價格的問題。中國加入 WTO 法律文件中涉及非市場經(jīng)濟問題的條款有中華人民共和國加入議定書第 15 條,和中國加入工作組報告書第 150、151 段。這些條款表述中, 只是論述可以進行嚴格比較的條件,即不使用出口國國內價格確定正常價值的條件,不涉及對出口價格的認定。
中國加入議定書第?15?條規(guī)定:“(a)????In?determining?price?comparability?under?Article?VI of the GATT 1994 and the Anti-Dumping Agreement, the importing WTO Member shall use either Chinese prices or costs for the industry under investigation or a methodology that is not based on a?strict?comparison?with?domestic?prices?or?costs?in?China?based?on?the?following?rules:”“(i)?If the producers under investigation can clearly show that market economy conditions prevail in the industry producing the like product with regard to the manufacture, production and sale of that product, the importing WTO Member shall use Chinese prices or costs for the industry under?investigation in determining price comparability; (ii) The importing WTO Member may use a methodology that is not based on a strict comparison with domestic prices or costs in China?if the producers under investigation cannot clearly show that market economy conditions prevail in the industry producing the like product with regard to manufacture, production and sale of that product.”中國加入工作組報告書第 150 段也是同樣的文字表述。
在對上述條文中的“comparable?price”,“price?comparability”和“a?strict?comparison?with domestic prices”進行解釋時,能否意味著不涉及出口價格的確定,只涉及正常價值的確定呢?可以分析涉及“comparable price”的 WTO 爭端解決機制的案例來得出答案。目前,有兩個的案例涉及此問題,印度訴歐盟床單案(EC?– Bed Linen)和韓國訴美國不銹鋼板案(US?–?Stainless?Steel)。
歐盟床單案對反傾銷協(xié)議第 2.4.2 條中的“comparable”進行了解釋。第 2.4.2 條規(guī)定: “…the existence of margins of dumping during the investigation phase shall normally be established on the basis of a comparison of a weighted average normal value with a weighted average of prices of all comparable?export transactions or by a comparison of normal value and export prices on a transaction-to-transaction basis.”WTO 專家組對此條中的“comparable”解釋為:“The?ordinary?meaning?of?the?word?‘comparable’?is?‘a(chǎn)ble?to?be?compared’.?‘Comparable export transactions’ within the meaning of Article 2.4.2 are, therefore, export transactions that are able to be compared. …”(Appellate Body Report on EC – Bed Linen, paras.?56-58)
美國不銹鋼案中,WTO?專家組對?2.4.2?條中涉及“comparable”的條文解釋為“Article?2.4.2 provides that the existence of dumping shall normally be established ‘on the basis of a comparison of a weighted average normal value with a weighted average of all comparable export transactions’. The inclusion of the word ‘comparable’ is in our view highly significant, as in its ordinary meaning it indicates that a weighted average normal value is not to be compared to a weighted average export price that includes non-comparable export transactions. It flows from this conclusion that a Member is not required to compare a single weighted average normal value to a single weighted average export price in cases where certain export transactions are not comparable to transactions that represent the basis for the calculation of the normal value.”(Panel Report on US – Stainless Steel, paras.?6.111-6.114)
上述專家組在解釋第 2.4.2 條中的“comparable”時,論述的是“comparable”后面的內容能否與“comparable”前面的內容進行比較,以及如何比較的問題。第 2.4.2 條文字為“all?comparable ?export ?transactions”,因此,專家組論述的是“comparable”后面的“export transactions” 能否與“ comparable” 前面的正常價值進行比較的問題, 也即如何確定“comparable”后面的“export transactions”問題,不是如何確定“comparable”前面的正常價值的問題。
因此,從上述專家組的論述中可以得出結論,在WTO 法律框架下,對涉及非市場經(jīng)濟條款進行解釋涉及“comparable” 時,均是如何確定“comparable”后面的正常價值的問題, 不涉及如何認定“comparable”前面的出口價格問題。
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