智慧財產權法應該採用國際耗盡為原則

IP Laws Should Adopt In Principle The International Exhaustion Doctrine

本文再度倡言除非立法者另有其他公共政策考量，否則智慧財產權法應採用國際耗盡為原則。不過立法者應該定期檢討該公共政策的妥適性及達成的實效，使制度回歸國際耗盡原則。本文將先探討智慧財產權法不一致的權利耗盡制度，再論證應採納國際耗盡為原則的理由，包括智慧財產權法的體系要求、公共利益、與紐西蘭自由貿易協定已經允許採用國際耗盡原則，以及符合TRIPS第4條最惠國待遇原則。本文最後提出達成此項目標的修法建議，包括修改美臺著作權保護協定、修改著作權法、明文規定國際耗盡原則不得以契約排除。

This article argues that unless there are other public policy considerations by the legislature, IP laws should adopt the international exhaustion principle. However, the legislature should review periodically whether these public policy considarations are still valid and being materialized to make sure that the international exhaustion principle will reign. This article first reviews the divergent exhaustion regimes under current IP laws in Taiwan. It then reasons that the international exhaustion principle should be adopted in principle, as it is the systemic requirement of IP law, it suits the public interest, follows Taiwan’s free trade agreement with New Zealand, and complies with the most-favouered nation principle of Article 4 of the TRIPS Agreement. It concludes by putting forward suggestions for achiveing the goal of adopting the international exhaustion principle across all IP laws, such as revising the copyright agreement with the US, revising the Copyright Act, and expressly banning the contractual exclusion of the international exhaustion principle.