新修改的中国反垄断法将于今年8月1日起施行

（来源：中国知识产权报）

　　'Inspiring innovation' is added into legislative purposes. The 'safe harbor' rule applies to monopoly agreement. Harsher sanctions are in place for violations. These are some of the changes in the newly-revised anti-monopoly law recently passed by China's top legislature. Revised for the first time since its debut in 2008 and set to enter into force on August 1, 2022, the law strives to clarify some rules, uphold fair competition order and provide a fair, transparent and predictable environment for business operators.

　　The old structure with eight chapters remains intact while the number of articles grows from 57 to 70. There are many marked changes to the articles as well.

　　'Inspiring innovation' added into a legislative purpose

　　Upholding fair competition order in the market while inspiring innovation. While adding 'The state bolsters the fundamental position of competition policy' to Article 1 of the law in an effort to stress protection of competition, 'inspiring innovation' is added into legislative purposes.

　　"IP protection and protection of competition share a common objective in boosting development. Protection of free competition and proper use of IP are not mutually exclusive. If a right holder, however, abuses IP to exclude and restrict competition, the anti-monopoly law may come into play. This reflects the balanced philosophy of the law in protecting IP, inspiring innovation while having no qualms about curbing improper use of IP," says Ning Lizhi, Dean of IP and Competition Law Institute, Wuhan University.

　　Anti-monopoly law is closely connected with relevant IP laws, which is attested in either the outgoing version or the incoming one. The measures to curb monopolistic acts and the sanctions to punish those acts - both under the anti-monopoly law – can be applied to monopolistic acts of abusing IP to exclude and restrict competition.

　　Violations pay bigger price

　　Some notable changes are made the legal liability chapter of the law with the cap of monetary fines for monopolistic acts significantly lifted and civil public interest litigation added which allows procuratorates in cities with subordinate districts to file such litigation at people's courts.

　　"Legal liability is an important part of any specialized law. Only legal liabilities identified may pose restraint and deterrent to violations by certain subjects," says Feng Xiaoqing, Professor, School of Civil, Commercial and Economic Laws, China University of Political Science and Law. He believes the new anti-monopoly law has brought in harsher sanctions against violations.

　　"Generally speaking, this revision means significantly to curbing those acts damaging the legitimate rights and interests of other business operators and consumers as well promoting fair, free competition and healthy development of socialist market economy," Feng adds.

　　'Safe harbor' rule settles down

　　The new law provides 'If a business operator can prove its relevant market share is under the standard prescribed by the State Council anti-monopoly enforcement agency while complying with other conditions prescribed by the State Council anti-monopoly enforcement agency, it shall not be enjoined.' During the revision of the law, the introduction and gradual refinement of the above 'safe harbor' rule also sparked attention.

　　"The installation of the 'safe harbor' rule in vertical monopoly provisions carries multiple values," Ning mentions the installation can liberate the enforcement agency from entangling in discovering every possible liability, significant or not, drastically save enforcement resources and free the agency from unnecessary, over-complex, expensive analysis of the illegality of vertical monopoly agreements while improving the transparency of anti-monopoly enforcement of the state and giving clear instructions for compliance-seeking business operators. In addition, the 'safe harbor' rule embodies the state's encouragement and care to the development of SMEs and policy considerations such as industry transformation and upgrade, optimization of climate for doing business. Of course, whether in the future the 'safe harbor' rule will achieve what it is supposed to relies on the formulation of implanting rules and experience gathering from enforcement practice.

　　In a bid to implement the revised anti-monopoly law, the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation is currently drafting the Regulation on Enjoining Acts of Abuse of IP to Exclude and Restrict Competition and inviting comments from the public.  (by Wang Jing)

　　新增“鼓励创新”立法目的，引入垄断协议“安全港”规则，加大违法处罚力度……近日，中国十三届全国人大常委会第三十五次会议表决通过关于修改反垄断法的决定，自2022年8月1日起施行。这是中国反垄断法自2008年实施以来的首次修改，进一步明确了有关法律规则，有助于维护公平竞争秩序，为经营者提供公平透明可预期的良好环境。

　　新修改的反垄断法保留了8个专章的核心结构，条款数目从57条增加至70条，条文内容上也有所修改，具体修改内容亮点纷呈。

　　“鼓励创新”目的入法

　　保护市场公平竞争的同时鼓励创新。新修改的反垄断法第一条不仅增加了“国家强化竞争政策基础地位”的内容，以强调保护竞争，同时将“鼓励创新”纳入立法目的。

　　“知识产权保护与竞争保护具有共同的目标，都是为了促进发展。在保护自由竞争的同时，不排除知识产权正当行使行为，如果权利人滥用知识产权，排除、限制竞争，反垄断法仍可适用，这体现了法律既保护知识产权和鼓励创新，又对知识产权不当行使行为进行规制的制度精神。”武汉大学知识产权与竞争法研究所所长宁立志在接受本报记者采访时表示。

　　反垄断法与知识产权相关法律关系密切，这一点无论是在现行反垄断法还是新修改的反垄断法附则中都有体现，反垄断法中对于垄断行为的规制、对于垄断行为的处罚等规定，都可适用于滥用知识产权排除、限制竞争的垄断行为。

　　违法责任大幅提升

　　记者了解到，新修改的反垄断法对法律责任的修改尤为明显，不仅大幅提升了部分垄断行为的罚款上限，还增设反垄断法民事公益诉讼条款，明确设区的市级人民检察院可以向相关人民法院提起民事公益诉讼。

　　“法律责任是任何部门法规定的重要内容之一。有明确相关主体的法律责任，才能对相关主体违反法律规定的行为进行有力的遏制和威慑。”中国政法大学民商经济法学院教授冯晓青在接受本报记者采访时介绍，新修改的反垄断法，从多个方面大幅提高了违反反垄断法行为的处罚力度，强化了违法责任。

　　“总的来说，此次反垄断法的修改对于有力遏制损害其他经营者和消费者合法权益，以及社会公共利益的行为，促进公平、自由竞争和社会主义与市场经济的健康发展，都具有十分重要的意义。”冯晓青表示。

　　“安全港”规则逐步完善

　　今年新修改的反垄断法明确“经营者能够证明其在相关市场的市场份额低于国务院反垄断执法机构规定的标准，并符合国务院反垄断执法机构规定的其他条件的，不予禁止。”反垄断法修改过程中，“安全港”规则的引入和逐步完善同样引人关注。

　　“此次修法专门在纵向垄断协议条款中设置‘安全港’规则具有多重价值。”宁立志表示，“安全港”规则的设置，不仅能通过“抓大放小”的责任豁免方式，显著节约执法资源，避免执法机构陷于一些必要性不强且冗杂、高昂的纵向垄断协议违法性分析之中，同时有助于提高我国反垄断执法的透明度，为企业依法合规经营提供明确指引。此外，“安全港”规则亦能体现出国家对中小企业发展的鼓励与关怀，反映和践行产业转型升级、优化营商环境等理念。当然，未来“安全港”规则将如何在实践中发挥其功效，仍有待于后续配套规章的制定和执法活动的探索。

　　为贯彻落实修改后的反垄断法，目前，中国国家市场监督管理总局研究起草的《禁止滥用知识产权排除、限制竞争行为规定（征求意见稿）》正向社会公开征求意见。（王晶）

编辑：文玥