[GSDI Legal Econ] The EU's new 'fifth freedom' - Knowledge - and relationship to IP

[Roger Longhorn]

 From the IPR-Helpdesk news service. Note the relation between a 
'knowledge economy' and a new 'knowledge freedom' and Intellectual 
Property (IP):


In the European Council held in Brussels before the Easter holidays, the 
leaders of the EU Member States adopted some conclusions in the field of 
research and development.

In particular, Paragraph 7 of the Presidency Conclusions highlights the 
"free movement of knowledge" as a priority to respond to the challenges 
of globalisation and to transform the EU into "a truly modern and 
competitive economy". This "freedom" should be created by removing 
barriers to the cross-border mobility of researchers, students and 
university teaching staff.

Other aspects stressed by the European Council are the need to promote 
the optimal use of intellectual property created in public research 
organisations to increase knowledge transfer to industry, the relevance 
of the adoption of an "IP Charter" before the end of the year; and the 
encouragement of open access to knowledge and open innovation.

Related Links:

*Slovenian Presidency Press Release:
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http://www.eu2008.si/en/News_and_Documents/Press_Releases/March/0314EC_Lizbona.html*
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*Presidency Conclusions:
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http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/99410.pdf*
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*From the press release <extract>:
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      *The main focus is on the free movement of knowledge and creativity*

The Slovenian EU Presidency further points out that, in responding to 
the challenges of globalisation, we will need to rely on the creativity 
of our citizens and our rich cultural heritage. It is, therefore, of 
crucial importance to increase investment in research, development and 
education and to prevent the ‘brain drain’ of European talent.

The European Council advocates the introduction of the ‘fifth freedom’, 
i.e. the free flow of knowledge, and is bringing in measures to improve 
the mobility of researchers, students and university staff. Scientific 
e-infrastructure and high-speed internet use have to be substantially 
upgraded to facilitate high-speed internet access for all schools by 
2010. A broad-based innovation strategy and development of the EU 
venture capital market for financing innovative small and medium-sized 
enterprises will be of paramount importance.
<ends>

*From the Presidency Conclusions, 13-14 March 2008:*

8. In order to become a truly modern and competitive economy, and 
building on the work carried out on the future of science and technology 
and on the modernisation of universities, Member States and the EU must 
remove barriers to the free movement of knowledge by creating a "fifth 
freedom" based on:

• enhancing the cross-border mobility of researchers, as well as 
students, scientists, and university teaching staff,

• making the labour market for European researchers more open and 
competitive, providing better career structures, transparency and 
family-friendliness,

• further implementing higher education reforms,

• facilitating and promoting the optimal use of intellectual property 
created in public research organisations so as to increase knowledge 
transfer to industry, in particular through an "IP Charter" to be 
adopted before the end of the year,

• encouraging open access to knowledge and open innovation,

• fostering scientific excellence,

• launching a new generation of world-class research facilities,

• promoting the mutual recognition of qualifications.
<ends>

The "IP Charter" refered to above was introduced in the German 
Presidency of the EU Council in April 2007, and addresses "management of 
intellectual property from
public research institutions and universities" - see 
http://www.bmbf.de/pub/Eckpunkte_IP_eng(2).pdf.

Kind regards

Roger Longhorn
co-Chair, GSDI Association Legal & Socioeconomic W.G.

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