COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION Evaluation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 316/2014 of 21 March 2014 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION Brussels, 22.11.2024 SWD(2024) 269 final Evaluation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 316/2014 of 21 March 2014 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to categories of technology transfer agreements {SWD(2024) 268 final} EN EN Introduction The purpose of the Staff Working Document is to evaluate Commission Regulation 316/20141 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘the Treaty’) to technology transfer agreements (the Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation, or TTBER), together with the accompanying guidelines on the application of Article 101 of the Treaty to technology transfer agreements (TTGL)2. Technology transfer agreements are agreements by which one party authorises another to use its technology rights to produce goods or services. Technology rights include patents, knowhow, copyright in software and certain other intellectual property rights. Technology transfer agreements can improve economic efficiency by facilitating the diffusion of technology, incentivising research and development, promoting incremental innovation and generating product market competition. However, they can also have negative effects on competition, as they may facilitate collusion or harm interor intra-technology competition, for example by reducing the...