“一带一路”倡议下我国的外国法查明方法及其完善

【作者】 王英；

【导师】 颜林；

【作者基本信息】 南京师范大学 ， 法律硕士（非法学）（专业学位）， 2019， 硕士

【摘要】 “一带一路”倡议的全面实施促进了我国与沿线国家的经贸往来,涉外纠纷案件因此逐年增多,我国司法机关在审理涉外案件时适用外国法的情况也随之增多,外国法查明问题的重要性和紧迫性日益凸显。外国法查明方法是外国法查明制度的组成部分,是完成外国法查明和适用的工具,其对于是否可以查明外国法的内容并予以正确的适用具有非常重要的价值。对外国法查明中某一具体方法的价值评估,可以从正义和效率两个方面来考察:从正义方面来说,该查明方法应当有助于当事人和法官查找案件所需要的外国法,有助于法官能对外国法的内容准确了解,从而根据查明的外国法对中外当事人之间的权利义务关系作出公正的裁决,使案件争议能够得到合理的解决,从而增强我国裁判的国际公信力;从效率方面来说,基于法经济学“成本—收益”的分析方法,我们应当考虑使用不同查明方法的成本问题,包括时间金钱成本、声誉成本及公信力成本等。目前,我国的外国法查明方法类型多样,包括当事人提供、通过中外法律专家提供、通过司法条约、使领馆途径以及互联网等。尽管如此,从涉外民商事审判的实践来看,我国外国法查明方法在适用上仍然存在一定的缺陷,这种缺陷既体现在查明制度本身的缺陷,也体现在查明主体在选择查明方法时的高度倾向性,即查明主体在选择查明方法时更多的关注查明所需要付出的时间和金钱成本。但在“一带一路”倡议的背景下,这种降低个案查明成本的做法反而可能会升高司法的其他成本,例如“正义成本”、法律的“尊严成本”以及裁判机关的“声誉成本”和“公信力成本”等。除了查明主体降低成本的考量之外,其他一些因素也对我国外国法查明方法的适用发挥了消极的作用。这些因素包括当事人提供外国法受制于自身知识水平和查明方式等限制;部分法官依职权查明外国法态度消极;当事人提供的专家意见或具有倾向性;关于专家查明的立法较为粗糙以及通过司法协助及使领馆途径面临高成本及可操作性障碍。随着“一带一路”倡议的走深走实,在我国外国法查明方法制度体系的建构中,不仅应加强查明制度建设,努力降低查明成本,提高外国法查明的效率,更要引导裁判机关正确对待查明成本问题,将个案的“正义成本”、法律的“尊严成本”和我国裁判机关的“声誉成本”一并纳入考量的范畴,从而提高查明外国法的积极性和主动性。为此,相关部门可以从完善外国法查明方法的立法以及在司法实践中增加外国法查明的有效性和便捷性这两个层面来加以完善。具体而言,一方面,在立法层面,建立开放多元的外国法查明方法的制度模式以及完善法律专家查明的法律规定;另一方面,在司法实践中构建更加高效便捷的外国法查明方法,比如,建立外国法律数据库和外国法律专家库;积极拓展查明途径,完善专家委员辅助查明制度;建立法官查明外国法的培训和激励机制;加强涉外民商事审判指导性案例的作用以及加强与“一带一路”沿线国家的国际司法协助。更多还原

【Abstract】 The comprehensive implementation of "the Belt and Road" Initiative has promoted economic and trade cooperation between China and countries along the route.The number of foreign-related disputes has increased year by year.The application of foreign law by judicial organs in China has also increased.The importance and urgency of ascertaining foreign law has become increasingly prominent.The method of ascertaining foreign law is an integral part of the system of proof of foreign law.It is a tool for completing the identification and application of foreign law.It is of great value to ascertain the content of foreign law and to apply it correctly.The evaluation of the value of a specific method can be examined from two aspects:justice and efficiency.From the aspect of justice,the method should help the parties and judges to find out the foreign law needed by the case,help the judges to accurately understand the content of foreign law,so as to make a right-obligation relationship between Chinese and foreign parties according to the foreign law identified.In terms of efficiency,we should consider the cost of using different methods,including the cost of time and money,the cost of reputation and the cost of credibility based on the "cost-benefit" analysis method of economics of law.At present,there are various ways to ascertain foreign law in China,which are provided by parties,by legal experts,by judicial treaties,by embassies and consulates,and by the Internet.Nevertheless,there are still some defects in the methods of ascertaining foreign law in the practice of foreign-related civil and commercial trials.These defects are reflected not only in the defects of the legal system itself,but also is the high tendency of the subject who selecting the method of ascertaining foreign law.That is,the subject pays more attention to the cost of time and money when choosing the method of proof of foreign law.But in the context of "the Belt and Road"Initiative,this practice of reducing costs in cases may increase other judicial cost,such as the cost of justice,the cost of dignity of law,the cost of reputation and the cost of credibility and so on.In addition to the consideration of cost reduction,other factors have also played a negative role in the institutional dilemma of China’s foreign law identification methods.These factors include that the parties provide foreign law restricted by their own knowledge level and ways of identification;some judges have negative attitudes towards ascertaining foreign law according to their powers;the expert opinions provided by the parties may be biased;the relatively rough legislation on expert identification and the high cost and operational obstacles faced through judicial assistance and embassy and Consulate channels.With the deepening of "the Belt and Road" Initiative,we should not only strengthen the system of ascertaining foreign law in China,strive to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of methods of ascertaining foreign law,but also guide the judicial organs to correctly treat the problem of cost.When judges try foreign-related cases,they should establish the awareness of the cost of justice,the cost of dignity of law,and the cost of reputation and the cost of credibility,so as to improve the enthusiasm and initiative of proof of foreign laws.Therefor,the relevant departments can improve it from two aspects:improving the legislation and increasing the effectiveness and convenience of of methods of ascertaining foreign law in judicial practice.Specifically,on the one hand,we should establish an open and pluralistic system model of methods of ascertaining foreign law and improving the system of expert committees to assist in the identification at the legislative level;on the other hand,we should build more efficient and convenient methods of ascertaining foreign law in judicial practice,such as establishing foreign law database and foreign legal expert database;expand the ways of identification actively and improve the auxiliary investigation of expert members;establish a system of training and incentives for judges to ascertain foreign laws,strengthen the role of guiding cases in foreign-related civil and commercial trials and strengthen international judicial assistance of the countries along the route.更多还原