不歧視原則之經濟社會權利保障效力：《歐洲人權公約》當代課題

Abstract

基於實質有效權利保障原則，經社權利滲入歐洲人權公約行之有年，而公約第14條（不歧視原則）之運用，則相對饒富新意。公約實質權利條款保障事物範圍與時俱進，第14條爰得反轉自身配件性質為救援特質，於國家積極義務範疇中，藉其「客觀且合理」之比例原則，限縮國家評斷餘地並協助排除社會政策制定之任意性。其尤與私人家庭生活及財產權相輔相成，系統性發揮經社權利保障效力。惟此救援力之開發，約以歐洲共識為界：就爭議尚巨者，宜暫藉實質權利條款之但書為被告國保留裁量權。凡此應屬歐洲人權法院對公約當代課題之務實回應。

The cause of advancing economic and social rights via the European Convention on Human Rights has long benefited from the principle of effective rights, while the use of Article 14 (non-discrimination principle) in this regard seems to have recently come into fashion. Initially of ancillary importance, Article 14 may come to the fore when the fact at issue falls within the scope of certain substantive provisions of the Convention. For instance, in the fields of economic and social rights, State Parties normally enjoy a large margin of appreciation under the Convention. Under Article 14, the Strasbourg Court has the authority to compel State Parties to defend differential treatment on the basis of objective and reasonable grounds, even on issues of economic and social rights. That said, invoking this Article against State Parties may overreach the understood European consensus. In the absence of some minimum common denominators, the Strasbourg judges can give priority to a substantive provision that leaves greater latitude to the defending State. Such pragmatism should be considered a prudent approach to contemporary challenges to the Convention.