Interpretation and Application of Sunset Reviews under the WTO

摘要

Considering the fact that the insufficient and ambiguous provisions of the sunset reviews have historically been applied by the WTO member countries, this paper reviews the dispute settlement body' s interpretation and application of sunset review provisions to make assessment of current WTO sunset review mechanism and to look for better and more reasonable interpretations sticking to the sprit and purpose of sunset review. In relation with the judicial interpretation and application of sunset review provisions, the decisions of the Appellate Body have primarily been based on the analysis of procedural aspects to arrive at its conclusion, and have not been faithful to the analysis of the substantive aspects under discussion, which are incomplete to establish the definite principles regarding the interpretation and application of the sunset reviews. Moreover, making unduly much of the distinctiveness of sunset reviews, and, therefore, granting too much deference to authorities, the dispute settlement body has accordingly distracted its attention away from the legislating purpose of sunset reviews to weaken the significance of sunset review provisions, and to make it lose the main tools to improve the sunset reviews. For the sunset reviews to be conducted effectively and promote justifiable utilization of antidumping measures, the dispute settlement body is required to establish a set of expressly unified standards as far as possible to regulate the application of sunset review provisions so that the final determination in sunset reviews could be objectively deduced from the proper investigation based on factual evidence, considering the fact that these issues are still open for discussion and controversy.