互联网经济领域反垄断中的“必要设施理论”研究

Essential Facilities Theory in Prospects of Anti-monopoly Legal Regulations of Chinese Internet Enterprises

必要设施理论滥觞于美国判例法,是强制必要设施控制者向其他竞争者开放设施的反垄断法规制理论,在西方发达国家具有丰富的适用实践。当前我国互联网平台企业经营正面临着垄断性质疑,与平台的社会开放性使用需求也存在着张力。必要设施理论在我国互联网领域的适用可能性,决定了引进该理论将有助于互联网反垄断规制之突围。必要设施理论在互联网环境中的应用应当有所改造和调适。在认定必要设施的基础标准方面应当由有效竞争标准向数据基数标准转换,在判断设施开放的必要性方面则应该引入消费者利益保护的标准,同时还应当将正当商业理由作为必要设施理论适用的阻却标准。

Essential facilities theory originated from the U.S. case law. It is an antimonopoly law theory that forces controllers of essential facilities to open facilities to other competitors. It has a wealth of applicable practices in Western developed countries. China is currently facing the real dilemma of monopolistic operation of Internet platform enterprises that is more harmful and the traditional anti-monopoly law system is weak. By evaluating the application prospects of the essential facilities theory in the Internet field, it is not difficult to find that the prudent introduction of this theory will help break through the Internet antitrust regulations. The application of the essential facilities theory in the Internet environment should be modified and adapted. In determining the basic standards of essential facilities, we should switch from effective competition standards to data base standards. In judging the necessity of opening facilities, we should introduce standards for the protection of consumer interests and at the same time, apply legitimate business reasons as the block standards of essential facilities theory.