• 沒有找到結果。

第三款 競爭公平與競爭者的保護?

除了市場整合目標以外,有認為歐洲聯盟競爭法的主要經濟目標是保護競 爭公平(“fairness in competition”)。這個解釋主要是立基於羅馬條約的前言,亦

即確保穩定擴張、平衡貿易與競爭公平,也呼應了前述的德國新自由主義(ordo-liberalism)認為競爭法的執行應尋求公平競爭,確保市場參與者都享有真正的機

會平等。亦有以歐洲聯盟運作條約中關於歐洲聯經濟與貨幣政策之一般條款的

198Philip Lowe, Dir. Gen. Dg Competition, How Different is EU Anti-Trust? A Route Map for Advisors, An Overivew of EU Competition Law and Policy on Commercial Practice, 10 (October 16, 2003), available at http://ec.europa.eu/competition/speeches/text/sp2003_038_en.pdf.

199Geradin, et al., supra note 186, at 31-33

200Gifford & Kudrle, supra note 181, at 175.但該文亦指出,美國最高法院在 Leegin 一案允許轉售 價格限制應改由適用合理原則予以審酌,然而在歐洲聯盟地區,轉售價格限制仍然是違法。

Leegin 一案可說是讓美國法更往實現以消費者福利為唯一反托拉斯法目標的道路上邁進,不論 在理論與實務均然。

第 119 與第 120 條所揭示之自由競爭的開放市場經濟原則為依據201,而認為市 which is based on the close coordination of Member States’ economic policies, on the internal market and on the definition of common objectives, and conducted in accordance with the principle of an open market economy with free competition. 2. Concurrently with the foregoing, and as provided in the Treaties and in accordance with the procedures set out therein, these activities shall include a single currency, the euro, and the definition and conduct of a single monetary policy and exchange-rate policy the primary objective of both of which shall be to maintain price stability and, without prejudice to this objective, to support the general economic policies in the Union, in accordance with the principle of an open market economy with free competition.3. These activities of the Member States and the Union shall entail compliance with the following guiding principles: stable prices, sound public finances and monetary conditions and a sustainable balance of payments.” Article 120(ex Article 98 TEC):”Member States shall conduct their economic policies with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union, as defined in Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union, and in the context of the broad guidelines referred to in Article 121(2). The Member States and the Union shall act in accordance with the principle of an open market economy with free competition, favouring an efficient allocation of resources, and in compliance with the principles set out in Article 119.”

202 Geradin, et al., supra note 186, at 26-27.

203亦有學者指出,從 1960 年代開始,可行性競爭(workable competition)的概念也曾對歐洲聯盟 的競爭政策發揮一些影響力,亦即競爭法應藉由對抗消滅市場參與者或排除其參與競爭的行為,

建立或保護有效競爭所需之條件,參照 DAVIDJ. GERBER, GLOBALCOMPETITION: LAW, MARKETS,

ANDGLOBALIZATION184 (2010).

204Geradin, et al., supra note186, at 27.例如,在針對 GE/Honeywell 一案所引發之歐洲聯盟結合管 制是否是保護競爭者更勝於保護消費者等疑問時,當時的執委會委員 Mario Monti 曾在演講中 反駁這樣的看法,但其也指出歐洲聯盟乃是藉由維持共同市場的高度競爭以保護消費者福利,

參照 Mario Monti, European Comm’r for Competition Matters, The Future for Competition Policy in

前述兩者的解釋方向,亦有論者綜合以追求經濟公平(economic equity),或 保護經濟自由(economic freedom)代之205,而認為至少在早期,歐洲聯盟傾向適 用競爭法保護特定競爭者206,特別是努力與大型企業競爭的中小型事業,此在 歐洲聯盟條約第 82 條的早期案例中特別顯著,也因此在考量排他性效果時,被 批評過度著重競爭者損害,卻未充分考量競爭過程所受損害;對市場進入障礙 的認定,也採取比較寬的立場,而納入任何潛在市場參進者進入市場的阻礙,

不論該阻礙是否可能無法阻擋與市場既存廠商具有相同效率的廠商207。歐洲聯 盟對於事業是否具有市場支配地位的認定,甚且可以低到只要 40%的占有率,

即有可能得構成市場支配地位208

此外,執委會也對享有支配地位的廠商課與高度的義務並控制其行為,例 如智慧財產權的強制授權或認定其掠奪性定價而應提高價格使其競爭者能進入 市場等209,或者是例如在 Commercial Solvents 一案, ECJ 維持執委會認為

Commercial Solvents 拒絕對其在歐洲持有一半股權之合資事業的競爭對手 Zoja

the European Union, at Merchant Taylor's Hall, London (July 9, 2001), available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/01/340&format=HTML&aged=0&

language=EN&guiLanguage=en.類似的說明與討論,另可參照 Paul Jin, Turning Competition on Its Head: Economic Analysis of the Ec's Decision to Bar the Ge-Honeywell Merger, 23 NW. J. INT'LL. &

BUS. 187, 198-199(2002)

205GERBER, supra note 203, at 183.

206這一個傾向也有程序面的原因,例如在執委會的結合案件調查程序中,第三方(即競爭者)在 口頭聽證(oral hearing)程序中得以扮演相當重要的角色,此時參與結合事業不僅要回應執委會的 質疑,也要回應其競爭對手的批評。甚且競爭對手不僅得收到執委會的”異議聲明”(Statement of Objection),也能收到參與結合事業的回應,更詳細的說明與美國反托拉斯法執法機關考量競爭 對手所提相關資料與主張的態度與執委會不同之處等,請參照 Eric S. Hochstadt, The Brown Shoe of European Union Competition Law, 24 CARDOZOL. REV. 287, 306-309 (2002).

207BUTTIGIEG, supra note 190, at 67.

208 Guidance of the Commission's Enforcement Priorities in Applying Article 82 of the EC Treaty to Abusive Exclusionary Conduct by Dominant Undertakings , 2009 O.J. (C 45) 7, 9 paragraph 14,

available at

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:024:0001:0022:EN:PDF

209Geradin, et al., supra note 186, at 25-26

供應全世界僅有 Commercial Solvents 擁有專業技術製作的製藥原料係屬違法的 決定,即有論者認為該判決與其說是為消費者利益保護自由競爭,無寧說是意 欲保護小型廠商210。甚且直到 Oscar Bonner 一案為止211,對關鍵設施(essential

facilities)的認定也比美國更寬,故有認為這樣的立場,乃是要求具市場支配地

位的事業,需將其資產與欠缺能力或意願投資系爭設施且較無效率的競爭者分 享212。亦有論者於評論著名的 IMS Health213一案中執委會的暫時措施時,指出 相較於美國反托拉斯法主管機關與法院較著重投資誘因的重要性,執委會更關 注排除競爭者參與市場的行為,雖然其主張此乃是為了保護消費者而非競爭者,

但實際上卻顯然更為重視市場既存競爭者的數量214。在結合管制上,相對於美 國結合管制比較重視的為是否易於促成卡特爾與市場整體的活絡程度,歐洲聯 盟則更關注是否有支配地位的形成,以及市場支配地位廠商的市場力量215