FRAND承诺的法律性质及其法律效果

The Legal Nature and Effect of FRAND Commitment

FRAND承诺只不过是标准必要专利权人给其标准必要专利设定负担的单方法律行为;FRAND承诺产生如下两个方面的法律效果。一是在标准必要专利实施许可进行的谈判过程中,标准实施者有权获得标准必要专利权人的FRAND许可(权利),但应当以符合FRAND承诺的条件与标准必要专利权人进行善意谈判(义务)。相应地,标准必要专利权人有权获得标准实施者支付的FRAND许可费率(权利),但应当以符合FRAND承诺的条件与标准实施者进行善意谈判(义务);二是标准必要专利权人拒绝以FRAND承诺的条件给予标准实施者实施许可时,其禁令救济请求以及超过FRAND承诺部分的许可使用费请求,不应当被支持,同时其行为可能构成滥用市场支配地位,面临反垄断法上的不利后果。相应地,标准实施者拒绝以FRAND承诺的条件与标准必要专利权人进行谈判,或者虽然口头上表示愿意以FRAND承诺的条件与标准必要专利权人进行谈判,但谈判过程中的行为却违背诚信原则,未尽到善意谈判义务,则可能面临禁令的不利结果。

FRAND commitment is a unilateral legal act by which standard essential patent(SEP)holders impose legal burden on SEP;FRAND commitment has two legal effects.First,in negotiating SEP licenses,the SEP implementers have the right to obtain FRAND licenses,but they have to engage in bona fide negotiation with SEP holders in line with the conditions of FRAND commitment.Accordingly,the SEP holders are entitled to the FRAND license fees paid by the SEP implementers,but they have to carry out bona fide negotiation with the implementers in line with the conditions of FRAND commitment.Second,when the SEP holders refuse to grant licenses to the standard implementers on the FRAND commitment terms,their request for injunctive relief and the license royalty exceeding the FRAND commitment should not be supported,besides,they may have to face the negative consequences of the Anti-Monopoly Law due to possible abusing dominant market position.If standard implementers refuse to negotiate with SEP holders on the conditions of FRAND commitment,or verbally express the willingness to negotiate with SEP holders on the FRAND commitment terms,but their conduct in the negotiation not in good faith,they may face unfavorable results of the injunction.