第134期
2023 年 05 月 10 日
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《欧盟设计法变革专题》
保护范围扩大与限缩
许慈真/北美智权报 专栏作家

如何平衡权利人与其他公众之合法利益,始终是知识产权领域的重要课题。在本次提案,欧盟执委会(Commission)增订3D打印保护、禁止侵权货物过境以及参照使用、评论及戏谑仿作之限制,以资因应。


图片来源 : shutterstock、达志影像

在公众意见征询过程中[1],利害关系者针对「3D打印」与「侵权货物过境」两者提出不少疑问与讨论:

在前者,主要是由于权利之范围与限制欠缺明确性。根据2020年《3D打印研究报告》(The Intellectual property implications of the development of industrial 3D printing),已确认尽管计算机辅助设计(CAD)档案本身不受设计保护,但CAD档案所包含之数字模型仍可受保护;再者,个人得基于私人且非商用目的而豁免其3D打印行为之侵权责任,惟中介机构提供之支持服务(例如由3D打印机构打印或扫描、或上传或分享3D打印文件等)则不得豁免。至于在公开平台上传、托管或下载CAD档案之行为是否构成侵权,在当时仍有待厘清。

而另一方面,利害关系者也担忧随着3D打印普及,保护范围与限制之界线可能再度模糊。但无论如何,3D打印发展同时有利于设计师与设计使用者乃是不争事实。

在后者,则是为加强打击仿冒以及与欧盟商标规范保持一致,有90%的利害关系者希望透过扩大权利范围而加以遏阻不法。根据欧盟法院(CJEU)之判例法[2],无法单纯以「货物过境欧盟」而认定侵权,除非权利人证明该货物预定于欧盟销售;然而,实际上难以获得此类证据,因为权利人通常无法知悉该货物之终点站为何。

相对地,欧盟商标指令(EUTMD)第10(4)条以及欧盟商标规则(EUTMR)第9(4)条于修正后已明文规定权利人可禁止侵权货物过境欧盟,惟货物申报人(declarant)或持有人得举证反驳,此时,举证责任在于货物申报人或持有人,而非权利人。

保护范围扩大

因应3D打印发展趋势

CDR草案叙文指出[3],随着越来越多产业引进3D打印技术,也为设计权人防杜非法复制带来新的挑战,因而有必要调整设计权利范围以资因应。故本次提案新增第19(2)(d)条,禁止为重制侵害设计之产品而创作、下载、复制以及提供(含分享与散布)记载该设计之任何媒体或软件,此类行为均属于须经权利人授权之设计使用。

加强打击仿冒商品

继欧盟商标规范修正后,普遍认为也有必要在CDR增订相关条款以打击仿冒[4],因此,在遵守关税暨贸易总协议(GATT)第5条义务之下,CDR之修订草案第19(3)条前段规定,权利人有权禁止第三方在贸易过程中,将不得放行予自由流通(without being released for free circulation)之第三国产品带入欧盟,且该产品系未经授权而包含或应用与欧盟注册设计完全或大致相同之设计——即使无意在欧盟上市此类产品亦同。海关应按欧盟第608/2013号规则行使监管权力(包括应权利人要求)[5],尤其应依据风险分析标准实施相关控管措施。

此外,行使权利时亦必须注意不得妨碍合法产品之自由流通,故草案第19(3)条后段规定,在相关欧盟设计法院(即CDR第80条指定之一及二审审判机关)依据欧盟第608/2013号规则就是否侵害设计作成实质性裁决之程序期间,如产品申报人或持有人已举证说明该设计权人无权禁止该产品于最终目的国上市,则设计权人按草案第19(3)条前段主张之权利自当失效。

权利行使限缩:戏谑仿作(Parody)及其他

欧盟注册设计赋予之专属排他权仍受一定限制,目前包括基于私人且非商用之行为、基于实验目的之行为,以及引述或教学所需之重制行为。为能更充分平衡各方合法利益,同时纳入CJEU之判例法旨意[6],本次提案于CDR第20(1)(d)及(e)条增订两类限制分别如下:

  • 为识别或指称特定产品为设计权人之产品所为者(例如比较广告之参照使用(referential use))
  • 为评论、批评或戏谑仿作所为者

而原本仅适用于CDR第20(1)(c)条引述或教学行为之前提条件——亦即「只限遵守公平贸易惯例且未不当损及设计正常利用之情形下」——前述两类限制同样有其适用。此外,草案条文也进一步厘清,引述或教学时提及之「来源」系指包含或应用设计之产品来源而言。

CDR草案叙文解释道[7],第三方基于艺术表达(artistic expression)目的而使用欧盟注册设计之行为,只要符合产业及商业上之诚实作法(honest practices),便应视为「公平」。同时亦提醒,欧盟设计规范之适用必须充分尊重基本权利与自由,尤其是言论自由。

结语

尽管大多数利害关系者认为现行之设计权利限制规定(CDR第20(1)(a)至(c)条)易于主张且合适,但在结合技术发展(例如3D打印)与新社交趋势(例如社群媒体影响者)之下,如何界定「私人且非商用」可能益发困难[8]——尤其是当3D打印普及后,可能导致众多消费者的3D打印行为因私人使用限制而事实上豁免(de facto immunity)[9]其侵权责任。

再者,CJEU判例法所揭示之限制例外是否易于主张——亦即「符合公平之商业惯例,且不应予人以第三方与设计权人间存在商业关联之印象,不应不当利用设计权人之商业声誉,不应损及设计权人因利用设计可能获得之经济利益」——亦有约40%的利害关系者表示怀疑[10]

总言之,此部分修订能否平衡各方利益,限制例外能否发挥效果,将会是未来观察重点。

【CDR第19及20条条文对照表】

CDR现行规定

执委会草案

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.

 

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【本文只反映专家作者意见,不代表本报立场。】

作者: 许慈真
学历: (台湾)辅仁大学外语学院财经法律翻译学程
(台湾)辅仁大学法律学系博士
(台湾)辅仁大学财经法律学系硕士
(台湾)辅仁大学法律学系学士
专长: 智慧财产权、法律翻译

 


 





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