專門職業服務業於公平交易法上之適用關係與規範問題

Abstract

專門職業人員資格之取得，依憲法規定必須經過依法考銓之程序，此等對人民營業自由所設之規範，目的固在維護人民生命、身體及財產安全，為增進公共利益所必要，但也因此造成專門職業服務市場之參進障礙，形成供給面之限制。再者，由於專門職業服務具有資訊不對稱之特性，造成市場失靈現象，使得該市場中存有管制之必要性。然管制有其功效、亦有弊病，最明顯者是阻礙創新與進步。因此於管制的運用及競爭法之介入二者間，有必要尋求一適用之界線。\n於外國實務上，如美國，歐盟和日本等，競爭法是否適用於專門職業已無疑義。除了在特殊情況下（如美國的州政府行為豁免原則）可能豁免競爭法之適用外，並不能僅因行為涉及專門職業即認為不適用競爭法。雖專門職業服務業與一般商業服務在性質上有所不同，惟此僅意味著在專門職業服務市場中之競爭狀況可能有所不同，故應以合理原則，於個案中具體考量產業特性、市場結構、行為效果等因素，始能作出是否違法之判斷結論。\n99年開始我國公平交易法適用於專門職業服務業之問題開始發生爭議，短短5年內即可見行政法院之見解有明顯變化，而公平交易委員會歷經數案爭訟過程後，亦開始省思及加強如何論述其認定違法之依據，以尋求行政救濟機關之支持。本文即針對專門職業服務業於公平交易法上之適用關係與規範問題，進行深入之探討，並期能藉由法律與經濟等不同角度之觀察與分析，對未來公平交易法就此議題之具體適用方法，提出建議供參。

Professionals are required to be registered through examination under the Constitution. Although such requirement is considered necessary to enhance public interests and to ensure the safety of the people and their properties, it also results in the barrier of entry into relevant market. Simultaneously, professional regulation is often addressed to a perceived “market failure” in the market for professional services due to its characteristics of information symmetry. Regulation of professional services can protect vulnerable consumers, but it can also prevent innovation and other competition. The conflict between regulation and free competition therefore exists and the boundary should have to be found.\nIn US, EU and Japan, whether the competition law should apply to the professionals is no longer a question. Although professional services by their nature may differ significantly from other business services, that only means the nature of the competition in such services may vary and should be judged by the Rule of Reason under the competition law. Only in very specific situations (such as the “state action doctrine” in US) would there be an exemption.\nSimilar discussion occurred in Taiwan since 2010, and just during 5 years could we see the obvious change of opinions expressed by Administrative Courts. Taiwan Fair Trade Commission faced numerous challenges through the petitioning procedure in cases related to professionals, and tried hard to strengthen the economical analysis in late cases. This study discusses the related issues of professional service under the Fair Trade Act through legal and economic analysis, and try to make recommendations on handling relevant cases.