Chapter Ⅱ
Causes of Action before the DSB:
Art. XXIII of the GATT 1994


OUTLINE


Section One Right to Pursue a Proceeding under the WTO
I The Concept of Nullification or Impairment
II The Standing Issue before the DSB
III Lack of Possible Compensation
IV Summary and Conclusions
Section Two Causes of Action before the DSB in General
I The Presumption in Violation Complaints
（i）Introduction
（ii）Practice under the GATT Jurisprudence
（iii）Rulings under the WTO Jurisprudence
（iv）A Summary
II An Overview of Non-Violation Complaints
（i）Related Texts
（ii）Relationship between Arts. XXIII:1(a) and XXIII:1(b)
（iii）Underlying Purpose of Art. XXIII:1(b)
（iv）Non-violation Claims in the Context of Principles of Customary International Law
（v）Appropriate Attitudes as to Non-Violation Remedy
III Presupposed Situation Complaints
Section Three Establishment of Non-violation Complaints
I Introduction
II Application of a Measure: Scope of Measures Covered by Art. XXIII:1(b)
（i）Measures short of Legally Binding Obligations
（ii）Measures Falling under Other Provisions of the GATT 1994
（iii）Measures Concerning the Protection of Human Health
（iv）Measures Continuingly Applied
III Existence of a Benefit: Protection of Legitimate Expectations
（i）Protection of Legitimate Expectations（PLE）
（ii）Non-foreseeability of Measures at Issue
（iii）Benefits in the Negotiations
（iv）Benefits under Successive Rounds
IV Nullification or Impairment of Benefit: Causality
V Summary and Conclusions


Section One
Right to Pursue a Proceeding under the WTO

I The Concept of Nullification or Impairment

Nullification or impairment is a most important concept developed in previous GATT dispute settlement system. It is incorporated into the GATT 1994 by the so-called incorporation clause (paragraph 1 of the GATT 1994) and goes on to operate as an important feature of the DSU under the WTO. Dispute settlement mechanism under the WTO continues to revolve around the concept of nullification or impairment. Art. 3.1 of the DSU requires Members to “affirm their adherence to the principles for the management of disputes heretofore applied under Articles XXII and XXIII of GATT 1947”.
According to Art. XXIII:1 of the GATT, a Member may have recourse to dispute settlement under the WTO when it considers that:

国家环境保护总局


关于征收污水废气排污费有关问题的复函

环函〔2008〕48号


内蒙古自治区环境保护局：
　　
　　你局《关于征收污水、废气排污费有关问题的请示》（内环办〔2008〕139号）收悉。经研究，现函复如下：
　　
　　我国实行按总量多因子计征的排污收费制度。《排污费征收使用管理条例》第十二条第一款和第二款规定：排污者应当依照大气污染防治法、海洋环境保护法的规定，向大气、海洋排放污染物的，按照排放污染物的种类、数量缴纳排污费。排污者应当依照水污染防治法的规定，向水体排放污染物的，按照排放污染物的种类、数量缴纳排污费。
　　
　　《排污费征收标准及计算方法》规定：“对每一排放口征收污水（废气）排污费的污染物种类数，以污染当量数从多到少的顺序排序，最多不超过3项”。
　　
　　按照上述规定，对每一排放口计征排污费时，若同一排放口排放多种污染物，应将各污染物的排放量分别折算成污染当量数，再将污染当量数最大的前3种污染物的污染当量数累加计算应征排污费。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　二○○八年四月二十八日