Brussels, 15 April 2008 – Following its spring 2007 Communication on knowledge transfer, the Commission adopted, on 10 April 2008, a specific, non-binding Recommendation on intellectual property and knowledge transfer management. The aim is to make EU national systems more coherent and boost transnational academia-industry cooperation to turn more research into lucrative business results.
For Denis Dambois, of the Commission’s research directorate-general, the recommendation “makes the link between research and competitiveness”, by turning research results into socio-economic benefits, useful products, new jobs and companies. “There are a number of knowledge transfer mechanisms that enable us to do so, but which are a bit underutilised in Europe. In all these activities, the management of intellectual property is something very central and should be managed on a proper and professional way”, he added.
The Recommendation mainly consists of a list of key principles for public authorities to help establish or adapt their IP and KT policies, including on funding aspects. A “Code of Practice” is annexed to the Recommendation and gives universities and public research organisations “operational principles which they should rely on when developing or reviewing institutional policies”.
The Commission is hoping that this code will become a reference for European universities and public research organisations when developing internal IP and KT policies, and that it will guide them in collaborative and contractual research within Europe and with third countries.
Links to the public documents:
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Commission press release: Commission urges Member States and public research organisations to better convert knowledge into socio-economic benefits (10 April 2008)