與反傾銷、反補貼法律製度一樣，WTO的保障措施法律製度也源於1947年GATT的規定。GATT1947在第19條對保障措施國際規則作了原則規定。在此基礎上，為實現加強和改善以1994年關貿總協定為基礎的國際貿易體係的總體目標，WTO成員方於1994年達成了《保障措施協定》（Agreement on Safeguards）。該協定規定了保障措施實施的條件和程序，具體包括：總則、條件、調查、嚴重損害或嚴重損害威脅的確定、保障措施的實施、臨時保障措施、保障措施的期限和審議、減讓和其他義務的水平、發展中國家成員、某些措施的禁止和取消、通知和磋商、監督、爭議解決。
一、保障措施的含義
保障措施是指一經濟體在進口大量增長以致其生產同類或直接競爭產品的產業遭受損害或嚴重損害威脅時，為補救損害或便利產業調整而針對引起損害的進口產品采取的臨時進口限製措施。保障措施被稱為WTO機製中的安全閥，它允許成員方在特定情況下撤銷或者停止履行其協定規定的一般義務，以使其國內產業免受進口產品損害，是一種臨時限製進口的保護性貿易措施。
（a）If, as a result of unforeseen developments and of the effect of the obligations incurred by a contracting party under this Agreement, including tariff concessions, any product is being imported into the territory of that contracting party in such increased quantities and under such conditions as to cause or threaten serious injury to domestic producers in that territory of like or directly competitive products, the contracting party shall be free, in respect of such product, and to the extent and for such time as may be necessary to prevent or remedy such injury, to suspend the obligation in whole or in part or to withdraw or modify the concession.
（b）If any product, which is the subject of a concession with respect to a preference, is being imported into the territory of a contracting party in the circumstances set forth in subparagraph （a） of this paragraph, so as to cause or threaten serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive products in the territory of a contracting party which receives or received such preference, the importing contracting party shall be free, if that other contracting party so requests, to suspend the relevant obligation in whole or in part or to withdraw or modify the concession in respect of the product, to the extent and for such time as may be necessary to prevent or remedy such injury.[1]