332期
2023 年 05 月 10 日
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《歐盟設計法變革專題》
保護範圍擴大與限縮
許慈真/北美智權報 專欄作家

如何平衡權利人與其他公眾之合法利益,始終是智慧財產權領域的重要課題。在本次提案,歐盟執委會(Commission)增訂3D列印保護、禁止侵權貨物過境以及參照使用、評論及戲謔仿作之限制,以資因應。


圖片來源 : shutterstock、達志影像

在公眾意見徵詢過程中[1],利害關係者針對「3D列印」與「侵權貨物過境」兩者提出不少疑問與討論:

在前者,主要是由於權利之範圍與限制欠缺明確性。根據2020年《3D列印研究報告》(The Intellectual property implications of the development of industrial 3D printing),已確認儘管電腦輔助設計(CAD)檔案本身不受設計保護,但CAD檔案所包含之數位模型仍可受保護;再者,個人得基於私人且非商用目的而豁免其3D列印行為之侵權責任,惟中介機構提供之支援服務(例如由3D列印機構列印或掃描、或上傳或分享3D列印檔案等)則不得豁免。至於在公開平台上傳、託管或下載CAD檔案之行為是否構成侵權,在當時仍有待釐清。

而另一方面,利害關係者也擔憂隨著3D列印普及,保護範圍與限制之界線可能再度模糊。但無論如何,3D列印發展同時有利於設計師與設計使用者乃是不爭事實。

在後者,則是為加強打擊仿冒以及與歐盟商標規範保持一致,有90%的利害關係者希望透過擴大權利範圍而加以遏阻不法。根據歐盟法院(CJEU)之判例法[2],無法單純以「貨物過境歐盟」而認定侵權,除非權利人證明該貨物預定於歐盟銷售;然而,實際上難以獲得此類證據,因爲權利人通常無法知悉該貨物之終點站為何。

相對地,歐盟商標指令(EUTMD)第10(4)條以及歐盟商標規則(EUTMR)第9(4)條於修正後已明文規定權利人可禁止侵權貨物過境歐盟,惟貨物申報人(declarant)或持有人得舉證反駁,此時,舉證責任在於貨物申報人或持有人,而非權利人。

保護範圍擴大

因應3D列印發展趨勢

CDR草案敘文指出[3],隨著越來越多產業引進3D列印技術,也為設計權人防杜非法複製帶來新的挑戰,因而有必要調整設計權利範圍以資因應。故本次提案新增第19(2)(d)條,禁止為重製侵害設計之產品而創作、下載、複製以及提供(含分享與散布)記載該設計之任何媒體或軟體,此類行為均屬於須經權利人授權之設計使用。

加強打擊仿冒商品

繼歐盟商標規範修正後,普遍認為也有必要在CDR增訂相關條款以打擊仿冒[4],因此,在遵守關稅暨貿易總協定(GATT)第5條義務之下,CDR之修訂草案第19(3)條前段規定,權利人有權禁止第三方在貿易過程中,將不得放行予自由流通(without being released for free circulation)之第三國產品帶入歐盟,且該產品係未經授權而包含或應用與歐盟註冊設計完全或大致相同之設計——即使無意在歐盟上市此類產品亦同。海關應按歐盟第608/2013號規則行使監管權力(包括應權利人要求)[5],尤其應依據風險分析標準實施相關控管措施。

此外,行使權利時亦必須注意不得妨礙合法產品之自由流通,故草案第19(3)條後段規定,在相關歐盟設計法院(即CDR第80條指定之一及二審審判機關)依據歐盟第608/2013號規則就是否侵害設計作成實質性裁決之程序期間,如產品申報人或持有人已舉證說明該設計權人無權禁止該產品於最終目的國上市,則設計權人按草案第19(3)條前段主張之權利自當失效。

權利行使限縮:戲謔仿作(Parody)及其他

歐盟註冊設計賦予之專屬排他權仍受一定限制,目前包括基於私人且非商用之行為、基於實驗目的之行為,以及引述或教學所需之重製行為。為能更充分平衡各方合法利益,同時納入CJEU之判例法旨意[6],本次提案於CDR第20(1)(d)及(e)條增訂兩類限制分別如下:

  • 為識別或指稱特定產品為設計權人之產品所為者(例如比較廣告之參照使用(referential use))
  • 為評論、批評或戲謔仿作所為者

而原本僅適用於CDR第20(1)(c)條引述或教學行為之前提條件——亦即「只限遵守公平貿易慣例且未不當損及設計正常利用之情形下」——前述兩類限制同樣有其適用。此外,草案條文也進一步釐清,引述或教學時提及之「來源」係指包含或應用設計之產品來源而言。

CDR草案敘文解釋道[7],第三方基於藝術表達(artistic expression)目的而使用歐盟註冊設計之行為,只要符合產業及商業上之誠實作法(honest practices),便應視為「公平」。同時亦提醒,歐盟設計規範之適用必須充分尊重基本權利與自由,尤其是言論自由。

結語

儘管大多數利害關係者認為現行之設計權利限制規定(CDR第20(1)(a)至(c)條)易於主張且合適,但在結合技術發展(例如3D列印)與新社交趨勢(例如社群媒體影響者)之下,如何界定「私人且非商用」可能益發困難[8]——尤其是當3D列印普及後,可能導致眾多消費者的3D列印行為因私人使用限制而事實上豁免(de facto immunity)[9]其侵權責任。
再者,CJEU判例法所揭示之限制例外是否易於主張——亦即「符合公平之商業慣例,且不應予人以第三方與設計權人間存在商業關聯之印象,不應不當利用設計權人之商業聲譽,不應損及設計權人因利用設計可能獲得之經濟利益」——亦有約40%的利害關係者表示懷疑[10]

總言之,此部分修訂能否平衡各方利益,限制例外能否發揮效果,將會是未來觀察重點。

【CDR第19及20條條文對照表】

CDR現行規定

執委會草案

19(1), A registered Community design shall confer on its holder the exclusive right to use it and to prevent any third party not having his consent from using it. The aforementioned use shall cover, in particular, the making, offering, putting on the market, importing, exporting or using of a product in which the design is incorporated or to which it is applied, or stocking such a product for those purposes.
(2) An unregistered Community design shall, however, confer on its holder the right to prevent the acts referred to in paragraph 1 only if the contested use results from copying the protected design.
The contested use shall not be deemed to result from copying the protected design if it results from an independent work of creation by a designer who may be reasonably thought not to be familiar with the design made available to the public by the holder.
(3) Paragraph 2 shall also apply to a registered Community design subject to deferment of publication as long as the relevant entries in the register and the file have not been made available to the public in accordance with Article 50(4).

19(1), A registered EU design shall confer on its holder the exclusive right to use it and to prevent any third party not having the consent of the holder from using it.
(2) The following, in particular, may be prohibited under paragraph 1:
(a) making, offering, putting on the market, or using a product in which the design is incorporated or to which the design is applied;
(b) importing or exporting a product referred to in point (a);
(c) stocking a product referred to in point (a) for the purposes referred to in points (a) and (b);
(d) creating, downloading, copying and sharing or distributing to others any medium or software recording the design for the purpose of enabling a product referred to in point (a) to be made.
(3) By way of derogation from Article 10(1), the holder of a registered EU design shall be entitled to prevent all third parties from bringing products, in the course of trade, from third countries into the Union, that are not released for free circulation in the Union, where the design is identically incorporated in or applied to those products, or the design cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from such products, and an authorisation has not been given.
The right referred to in the first subparagraph shall lapse, if, during proceedings to determine whether the EU design has been infringed, initiated in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 608/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council*, evidence is provided by the declarant or the holder of the products that the holder of the registered EU design is not entitled to prohibit the placing of the products on the market in the country of final destination.
(4) The holder of an unregistered EU design shall be entitled to prevent acts referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 only if the contested use results from copying that design.
The contested use referred above shall not be deemed to result from copying the unregistered EU design if it results from an independent work of creation by a designer who may be reasonably thought not to be familiar with the design made available to the public by the holder.
(5) Paragraph 4 shall also apply to a registered EU design subject to deferment of publication as long as the relevant entries in the Register and the file have not been made available to the public in accordance with Article 50(4).

20(1), The rights conferred by a Community design shall not be exercised in respect of:
(a) acts done privately and for non-commercial purposes;
(b) acts done for experimental purposes;
(c) acts of reproduction for the purpose of making citations or of teaching, provided that such acts are compatible with fair trade practice and do not unduly prejudice the normal exploitation of the design, and that mention is made of the source.
(2) In addition, the rights conferred by a Community design shall not be exercised in respect of:
(a) the equipment on ships and aircraft registered in a third country when these temporarily enter the territory of the Community;
(b) the importation in the Community of spare parts and accessories for the purpose of repairing such craft;
(c) the execution of repairs on such craft.

20(1), The rights conferred by an EU design shall not be exercised in respect of:
(a) acts carried out privately and for non-commercial purposes;
(b) acts carried out for experimental purposes;
(c) acts of reproduction for the purpose of making citations or of teaching;
(d) acts carried out for the purpose of identifying or referring to a product as that of the design right holder;
(e) acts carried out for the purpose of comment, critique or parody;
(f) the equipment on ships and aircraft that are registered in a third country and that temporarily enter the territory of the Union;
(g) the importation into the Union of spare parts and accessories for the purpose of repairing ships and aircraft referred to in point (f);
(h) the execution of repairs on ships and aircraft referred to in point (f).
(2) Paragraph 1, points (c), (d) and (e), shall only apply where the acts are compatible with fair trade practices and do not unduly prejudice the normal exploitation of the design, and in the case of point (c), where mention is made of the source of the product in which the design is incorporated or to which the design is applied.

 

備註:

 

【本文僅反映專家作者意見,不代表本報立場。】

作者: 許慈真
學歷: 輔仁大學外語學院財經法律翻譯學程
輔仁大學法律學系博士
輔仁大學財經法律學系碩士
輔仁大學法律學系學士
專長: 智慧財產權、法律翻譯

 

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