Intellectual Property and Competition Law

Technological and societal developments are undoubtedly changing the way in which innovation processes and market competition occur. This, in turn, has an impact on the innovation-promoting role of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and the use market actors make of them. As in previous years, a significant part of the research of the Institute has concentrated on issues concerning the interplay between IPRs and competition law. In this context, the complex questions surrounding the licensing and enforcement of standard-essential patents (SEPs) and the integration of innovation as a key competitive parameter into the analytical framework of the competition rules have very much been in the focus of the Institute’s research.