本文探討WTO與其他國際組織合作之政經背景、法律依據及運作過程,兼及跨組織合作對WTO建制效能所可能產生之影響。本文首先釐清多邊貿易建制之建立,其原始政治目的係為避免世界大戰再度發生。而就經濟面言,WTO所追求之目標,涉及許多非貿易問題,已非WTO所能單獨處理,需要借助其他國際組織之力,始能達成WTO本身的目標。本文接著發現,WTO提供了許多與其他國際組織合作的法律依據,創造了有利於合作進行的制度面條件。最後,本文從國際建制互動的角度,以WTO在SPS標準及貿易援助上與其他國際組織之合作為例,闡釋跨組織合作對WTO之影響。本文認為,由於與其他國際組織合作,得以產生較符合成本效益之選項,或提高特定議題所受之注意,故可有助於促進WTO本身目標之達成,或強化WTO之運作,而提升WTO的建制效能。然而,跨組織互動惟亦可能產生規範矛盾、資源稀釋等負面效應,故仍宜審慎為之。
This paper explores WTO's cooperation with other international organizations. It examines the politico-economic background, legal mandates of such cooperation and to evaluate impacts on WTO effectiveness resulting from such cooperation. Cooperation between GATT/WTO and other organizations has been motivated by political intention such as preventing war, as well as economic considerations such as helping the WTO regime to solve its own problems. This paper also identifies a comprehensive set of legal or political mandated which may serve as favorable institutional conditions for such cooperation to persist. Finally, taking SPS and Aid for Trade as examples, this paper suggests that to the extent inter-organization cooperation may create cost effective options and draw attention to specific issues, it may facilitate the achievement of the WTO's own goals and enhance its operations. We have to watch for some possible undesirable effects such as diffusive resources or contradictory norms and to avoid them however.