CPTPP智慧財產專章及其對泰國的可能影響-以植物品種保護和藥物近用權為例

Abstract

當今的國際貿易和投資情況，在國際競爭率增高之下，為了獲得並提高國家競爭力，其中一個國家採用最為確保的手段，即為透過自由貿易協定所設定的一般規範來促進自由貿易。 跨太平洋夥伴全面進步協定(CPTPP)是跨太平洋國家間的一個具包容性的和進步的協定，包含商品、服務和投資的自由貿易，也為會員國建立了標準規則。它是世界上最大的區域貿易協定之一，包含30個章節，其中一章全面性的規範智慧財產權的保護和執法。該章為跨太平洋地區的智慧財產權保護及執法設立了高的標準。它建立在數個國際智慧財產協定的現存架構之上，如WTO的TRIPS協定和世界智慧財產權組織(WIPO)所施行的某些條約。 在美國退出之後，CPTPP的會員國同意中止原先TPP智慧財產專章的一些條款，以再平衡及反映會員國的利益及優先考慮事項。儘管部分條款受到中止，智慧財產專章依然是考慮加入CPTPP的國家，特別是發展中的國家如泰國，最關心且值得考量的議題之一。 泰國長久以來皆展現加入CPTPP的興趣。因此，泰國必須仔細考慮智慧財產專章的重要性，該章包含一些重要的規定，將使泰國必須從根本上改變其智慧財產法律。本論文主要聚焦在檢視CPTPP智慧財產專章的條款，和在植物品種保護和藥物近用權上對泰國的可能影響；泰國若加入CPTPP協定將須遵從的法律修正，以及某些泰國政府的重要因應措施。

In the current condition of international trade and investment, as competition rate among countries rises higher, one of the most assuring instruments using by states in order to attain and improve their competitiveness efficiency is to promote free trade by setting certain common regulations through Free Trade Agreements. Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement is considered an inclusive and progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific countries which covers free trade in goods, services and investment as well as creating standard rules for member states. It is one of the world’s biggest regional trade agreements, consisting of 30 chapters, one of which addresses a comprehensive range of intellectual property rights protection and enforcement. The chapter sets high standard for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights across the Asia-Pacific region. It builds on several existing framework under international intellectual property agreements, such as the WTO’s TRIPS and certain treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). After the withdrawal of the United States, the members of CPTPP agreed on suspending a number of provisions in the original TPP’s intellectual property chapter in order to rebalance and reflect the members’ interests and priorities. Despite the suspension, the intellectual property chapter remains one of the most concerned and worth-considering issues for the countries who are considering a membership to the CPTPP, in particular, a developing country as Thailand. Thailand has longed showed interest of joining the CPTPP. Therefore, it is necessary to attentively consider the significance of the intellectual property chapter since it contains several significant requirements that Thailand will be bound to fundamentally change its intellectual property laws. The main focus of this paper is to examine the provisions under the intellectual property chapter of the CPTPP, and the possible impacts on Thailand respecting plant variety protection and access to medicines, the legal amendments which Thailand’s will be required to follow in case of joining as the party of the CPTPP Agreement, as well as certain considerable approaches for Thai government.