使用自編之美國國際貿易委員會 行政處分紀錄資料庫探索19 U.S.C. § 1337專利侵害救濟之 Limited Exclusion Order Relief 的形成與演進

Abstract

本論文可粗分為兩部分。第一部（1, 2 章）呈現從1922到1974年間（Tariff Commission），以及1974到2006年間（USITC，本文討論重點）「337條款」所簽發之禁止進口令之歷史與法理的演變。本論文發現美國貿易夥伴透過GATT的法律管道，加上總統體制內的政治壓力，以及國會，迫使USITC透過行政機關制定規則的途徑，演變出一種新型的禁止進口令。第二部（3, 4 章）使用統計學分析支持USITC簽發GEO或是LEO的事實與法理基礎，用以檢定某些因素如何影響USITC的決策。本論文（預設USITC並非獨立於一切影響而運作）利用統計方法檢定法律條文外的因素是否影響USITC的決策過程（見1.1.2節）。本論文同時發現，偏差在USITC的決策過程中並不扮演統計學上顯著的角色。這段建構337條款法律體系的歷史演變，產生了能夠在國際貿易之中更公平、衡平、與保障貿易的保護美國智慧財產權的工具。

This thesis can roughly be divided into two parts. Part One (Chapters 2 and 3) presents the historical and legal evolution of injunctive relief orders issued in "Section 337" unfair importation investigations from 1922 to 1974 (under the Tariff Commission) and from 1974 to 2006 (under the USITC, which is the main subject of this thesis). This thesis finds that extra-governmental legal pressure from the United States' main trade partners via the GATT, in combination with intra-governmental political pressure from the President (via the U.S. Trade Representative's Office) and Congress, forced the USITC to evolve a new form of exclusive order relief through administrative rulemaking processes. Part Two (Chapters 4 and 5) statistically analyzes the factual and legal bases supporting the USITC's historical issuance of General/Limited Exclusion Orders to test for the effects of bias in the USITC's decision-making. This thesis (which assumes that the USITC did not operate in a vacuum) statistically examines USITC's decisions to determine whether non-statutory factors may have affected the agency's decision-making process. (see Section 1.1.2). We also find that bias does not appear to play a statistically significant role in the USITC's decision-making process. This historical evolution in the legal structure of Section 337 created a more balanced, equitable, and trade-friendly enforcement tool to protect U.S. intellectual property rights in international trade.