scientific research

Taking a licence from a university or other academic institution raises specific considerations in addition to those that would normally apply in a purely commercial setting.  We set out below ten key considerations for any commercial entity taking a licence from a university in the EU.

1. Continuing academic research in the field and publication rights

Commonly a university will wish to continue to carry-out research in the field within the scope of the licence for academic purposes leading to a risk of intellectual property/confidential information leakage.  Where the university is a charity, it will often have an obligation to publish results in the public interest.


Continue Reading Ten Considerations When Taking a Licence From a University

In its recent Opinion 03/2013 on purpose limitation (the “Opinion”), the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, an EU advisory body on data protection, comprised of representatives of the Member States’ supervisory authorities, the European Data Protection Supervisor and the European Commission, analyzes the principle of purpose limitation and provides guidance for its practical application.  The principle of purpose limitation is one of the key data protection principles of the EU Data Protection Directive, requiring that personal data be collected for:
Continue Reading What You Need to Know about the Article 29 Working Party’s Opinion on Purpose Limitation