The New Technology Transfer Block Exemption: Will the New Block Exemption Balance the Goals of Innovation and Competition?

Licensors and licensees have long enjoyed the benefit of block exemption regulations for technology licensing. Block exemption regulations were adopted in the mid-80s for patent licensing and know-how licenses. These were combined and replaced in 1996 by a unified Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBE). This block exemption is currently under review. DG Competition is writing a draft for a new T\u27BE. It is expected to be ready for review by the member states in September, and to be published for comments in October. The Commission hopes to have the new block exemption adopted and published in the first quarter of 2004, just before the accession of the new member states and the entry into force of the Regulation 1/2003 on the Implementation of Article 81 and 82 EC