不正当竞争纠纷中原告适格问题的司法认定——以北京创磁空间影视文化传媒有限公司、福建恒业影业有限公司上诉穆德远、陈燕民等虚假宣传不正当竞争纠纷案为例

The Judicial Determination of the Plaintiff Eligibility in the Lawsuit Against Unfair Competition

竞争关系认定的日益广义化,虽然赋予经营者通过起诉的方式参与诉讼的更大可能性,但并不意味着诉权赋予的任意性,经营者欲对他人实施的虚假宣传等不正当竞争行为提起诉讼,除需证明两者之间存在竞争关系外,还应当初步证明其与案件具有直接利害关系。立案登记制条件下,前述"直接利害关系"不能对原告的起诉资格要求过高,在查明原告与本案没有直接利害关系的情况下,法院应当判决驳回原告的诉讼请求。我国未来修订《反不正当竞争法》时可考虑赋予消费者团体诉权,并对经营者的代表人诉讼问题进行具体规定。

The increasing generalization in the determination of competitive relationship does put business operators in a more advantageous position to participate in a litigation by means of suing; however, it does not mean the arbitrary granting of the right of action. A business operator who intends to bring a lawsuit against the false advertising or other unfair competition practices of others shall, in addition to proving the existence of competitive relationship between them, provide prima facie evidence to prove its direct interest in the Case. Under the case acceptance registration system, the said ＂direct interest＂ cannot impose undue requirement on the plaintiffs standing to sue, and where it is decided upon fact-finding and investigation that the plaintiff has no direct interest in the Case, a court shall dismiss the plaintiffs claims. Future amendment to the Anti- Unfair Competition Law may consider granting the class-action right to consumers and specifying the issues concerning the representative action of business operators.