标准必要专利禁令行为的反垄断规制探析

Investigation on Anti-monopoly Regulation of Injunction of SEP

寻求和实施禁令本是专利权人的一项基本权利,但标准却可为标准必要专利持有人不正当行使这一权利提供平台,成为其实施反竞争行为的工具。持有人不当寻求和实施禁令的行为导致的排除、限制竞争效果是反垄断规制的正当性基础。作为私权与公益激烈交锋的场域之一,标准必要专利持有人不当行使禁令行为的反垄断规制,关涉知识产权保护与市场自由竞争之间的协调与平衡。在适用禁止滥用市场支配地位的相关制度来规制专利持有人的禁令行为时,执法机构可以从持有人、被控侵权者以及消费者三个主体维度出发,综合考虑各自的相关因素,以充分发挥反垄断法的规制功效。

Seeking and enforcing injunction is one of the fundamental rights for a patent holder, but a standard could act as a platform for a SEP holder to unreasonably exercise this kind of right, resulting in the effect of eliminating or restricting competition, and ultimately destroying competition order and consumers＇ welfare. It is the anti-competitive effects that warrant anti-monopoly rules to get involved in the conflicting area of interface between exercise of private right and public interest protection. When applying the prohibition regulations of abusing market dominant position under Anti-monopoly Law, antitrust authorities could take into account relevant elements concerning SEP holders, the alleged infringers as well as consumers, in order to bring the outcome of anti-monopoly regulation into full play.