論代工廠商替外國客戶開發產品時之營業秘密法刑事責任風險──從美國TaiDoc Tech. Corp. v. OK Biotech Co.案談起

A Risk of Committing a Crime under the Trade Secrets Act by a Contractor Helping its Foreign Customer to Develop a Product—An Implication Drawn from TaiDoc Tech. Corp. v. OK Biotech Co.

本文透過美國TaiDoc Tech. Corp. v. OK Biotech Co.案判決的事實，其涉及兩間國內醫療器材廠商與美國醫療器材銷售商間三邊之營業秘密侵害事件，來討論代工廠在協助外國客戶開發技術的過程中，其必須注意違反營業秘密法之風險問題，以避免員工觸犯營業秘密法第13條之2第1項的域外犯罪加重處罰之規定、與公司依第13條之4而受罰金處罰之後果。在此刑事責任的風險認知下，本文提出對代工廠應如何和客戶互動的建議，以避免該類刑事責任的發生。

TaiDoc Tech. Corp. v. OK Biotech Co., No. 12 CVS 20909, 2016 WL 1221425 (N.C. Super. Mar. 28, 2016), involves a dispute of trade secret misappropriation concerning two Taiwanese medical device manufacturers and one American medical device distributor. This paper is intended to look into the facts in TaiDoc Tech. Corp. and to discuss whether, during a course of helping a customer to develop technology, a contractor may violate Article 13-2, Paragraph 1 of the Trade Secrets Act which enhances criminal punishment due to the actor’s intent for foreign use of the misappropriated trade secrets. This paper also discusses whether such a contractor may immune from criminal liabilities under Article 13-4. In acknowledging this risk of criminal liabilities, this paper proposes practical suggestions a contractor may rely on to interact with its customers.