WTO爭端解決機制一向被譽為皇冠上之珍珠，如今上訴機構陷入停擺危機，反而成為皇冠上之荊棘。過去數年來，美國運用WTO所要求之共識，屢次反對上訴機構成員之選任案，尤其是川普政府上台後更加強杯葛之力道。根據爭端解決規則暨程序瞭解書之規定，上訴案件最少由三名成員審理並作成裁決。然而2019年12月10日之後，上訴機構已無法正常運作。長期以來美國對上訴機構提出許多批評，包括系統性、實質性與程序性問題;反之，許多WTO會員則急於補實懸缺，而疏於處理美國關切之事項。根據爭端解決規則暨程序瞭解書第3...

The dispute settlement system, often considered as the “crown jewel” of the WTO, is in a present crisis and becomes the crown of thorns. Over the past years, the United States through the use of the WTO’s consensus requirements has successfully blocked the launch of a process to select the Appellate Body members. This is carried forward by the Trump administration. With a Settlement of Disputes Understanding (DSU) requirement that appeals be heard by three AB members, with the AB membership down to zero at the present time..

從當前國際關係諸多研究來看，小國安全政策尚未成為國際關係的研究主流，即便小國數目眾多，多數研究仍指出影響國際關係發展的主要因素還是大國間互動關係。但隨冷戰結束、兩極對抗體系瓦解，眾多新興國際議題重要性逐漸升高，學術研究逐步重視新興議題對國家間互動之影響。從這個面向來看，冷戰結束使得許多小國逐漸拋棄傳統對立的安全政策，將重心擺在更廣泛的安全面向並同時擴及到其他眾多新興領域。關於此點觀察，透過對歐盟小國的案例分析，可更清楚說明此一趨勢。由於歐盟制度設計使然，小國..

As great power politics are regarded as trend setters in international relations(IR), most contemporary IR studies often neglected small states’ foreign behaviors. However, after the end of the Cold War, bipolar confrontation of great powers no longer existed, attentions began to turn to small states in the realm of international relations. The author argues that, with the help of proper design of methodological approach, the extent of small states’ external..