歐盟網頁超連結著作權侵權責任與新聞網站超連結稅之研究

Copyright Infringing Liability in Webpage Hyperlinking and News Web Hyperlink Taxes in EU

在歐盟，超連結到他人網頁的著作權責任，經過歐洲法院2014年Svensson案和2016年GS Media案，建立較為複雜的判斷標準。若被連結的網站，本來已得到著作權人同意授權的網站，且沒有採取限制近用措施，則提供超連結的人，並沒有侵害向公眾傳播權。若被連結的網站，本來是違法張貼侵害著作權之內容，且張貼超連結的人乃出於營利目的，則其行為構成向公眾傳播權。在上述標準下，超連結到合法公開的新聞網站，無侵權問題，但在超連結時同時使用新聞標題、首段內容與照片縮圖，減少新聞網站的流量，故德國、西班牙陸續通過新聞網站超連結稅制度，進而推廣到全歐盟。2019年歐盟正式通過歐盟數位單一市場著作權指令，規定大型商業網站對新聞網站的超連結，需得到新聞網站之授權。本文透過歐盟重要判決、各國案例、相關法規版本及討論意見，釐清一般網頁超連結之著作權侵權責任，以及新聞網站超連結稅之起源、要件與爭議。

In EU, about the copyright liability of hyperlinking to other's web pages, the EU court of Justice established complex criterion in Svensson case (2014) and GS Media case (2016). If the web from which the content be linked have get permission from the copyright owners, and the web didn't take access restrictive measure, the one who provides the link to that web will not infringe a right of communication to the public. If the web from which content be linked have not get permission from the copyright owners, and the web providing the link is for profit, then the linking activity will infringe a right of communication to the public. According to this criterion, hyperlinking to the legally open news web will not be infringement. However, when web hyperlinks to a news article from other news web, it not only links, but also showing the article headline, a thumbnail picture and a short excerpt at the same time, resulting in decrease the traffic of the news web be linked. Therefore, Germany and Spain passed the laws of news web hyperlink taxes one after the other, and they attempt to replicate the same idea in an EU level. In 2019, the EU formally passed the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, which providing that any big commercial web to be able to link to news article on their site, it will need a license from the news publisher. In this paper, those EU court important case decisions, cases from different European countries, different versions of this link taxes Drafts and opinions from both sides will be illustrated, in order to clarify the copyright infringing liability of general hyper link, and to elaborate the origins, elements and dispute of the link taxes.