論關係企業間技術授權的法律問題

Legal Issues Regarding Technology Licensing Between Affiliated Companies

侯慶辰(Ching-Cheng Hou)

《智慧財產評論》 8卷2期 (2010/12) Pp. 39-65

https://doi.org/10.30387/NCCUIPR.201012_8(2).0002

摘要

本文研究之主題為關係企業間之技術授權，及其可能衍生的法律問題。公司本身就是一個利益團體，包含大小股東、經營階層、員工與債權人等，彼此雖是利益共同體卻也有利益衝突。公司透過股份制度，可以建立關係企業之企業集團，使得這個公司利益團體的問題更形複雜。甚且，自從科技產業興起，科技產業間進行技術授權是業界常態，但在關係企業間進行技術授權時，因為標的之智慧財產權難以鑑價，故給予公司利用之以達不法目的之誘因。本文具體分析關係企業間授權之目的，以及提出智慧財產權難以評價是誘使違法的原因。接著循著我國民法上契約責任與侵權責任之理論，分析民法對此問題可發揮之規範功能。其次並深入探討我國公司法中對於關係企業間技術授權以達違法目的時對股東與債權人有何特殊保障。最後從實務上關心的競爭法角度切入思考，關係企業間的授權究竟是促進競爭還是限制了競爭？結論部份本文回歸憲法上思考，主張經總體經濟利益衡量的結果，在政策上仍應緩和智慧財產權的財產法則，而應鼓勵技術授權的契約法則的運用。最後，致力於建立可信賴的智慧財產鑑價制度當是解決問題的根本之道。

關鍵字

關係企業 ； 授權 ； 技術移轉 ； 受任人義務 ； 注意義務 ； 忠實義務 ； 常規交易 ； 保護約款

並列摘要

The main topic of this research is the licensing between affiliated companies and the related legal issues. A company is an interest group formed by majority/minor shareholders, management, employees and creditors. They constitute an interest group but often have conflict in interest between them. By shareholding technique, an affiliated companies' group may be established. This adds complexity to the problem. Since the emerging of technology industry, technology licensing is very common in this industry. However, when technology licensing is conducted between affiliated companies, it also provides affiliated companies with incentive and convenient tool for illegal manipulation due to the difficulty of evaluation of intellectual property.I analyze the purposes of licensing between affiliated companies, and reach a conclusion that the difficulty of evaluation of intellectual property induces misconduct. I then follow the traditional theory about contract liability and torts liability under Taiwan civil law to explore how this problem can be solved under civil law's frameworks. Next, I study if there is any special legal mechanism for the protection to shareholder and creditor under Taiwan corporation law. Finally, I study a popular issue regarding licensing, ie. if the licensing between the affiliated companies will reinforce competition in the industry, or it actually will limit the competition. In conclusion, from the perspective of constitutional law I raise some comments on this research topic. I argue that pursuant to the balancing analysis under macroeconomics property rule should be softened but liability rule should be broadened, and technology licensing should be encouraged in our country's economic policy. In the end, I believe that the establishment of a trustworthy intellectual property evaluation system is the solution of the problem.

並列關鍵字

Affiliated Companies ； License, Technology Transfer ； Fiduciary Duty ； Duty of Care ； Duty of Loyalty ； Arm's Length Transaction ； Protective Covenants