Enhancing collaboration on ITER intellectual property issues

Recognizing the importance of disseminating intellectual property rights among the ITER Members, ITER Organization Legal Affairs engages in regular contact with intellectual property contact persons in the seven Members/Domestic Agencies. These contact persons are great resources in terms of intellectual property coordination for the ITER Project.

 

On 20-21 October, the ITER Organization hosted the 6th Intellectual Property Contact Persons meeting, chaired by the Legal Advisor. In addition to status reports on intellectual property from China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, US and the ITER Organization, the contact persons and the ITER Organization discussed fundamental issues, such as the timing and conditions for disclosure of background intellectual property (intellectual property developed prior to contractual arrangements and that they intend to incorporate in the execution of the work) and how to properly protect confidential intellectual property. As an emerging issue, the participants also exchanged views on the qualification of "off-the-shelf items" in relation to their contractors.  

 

The intellectual property contact persons actively contributed to discussions on the development of intellectual property management and all benefited from one another's experience and talents, knowing that cultivating good intellectual property practices can result in great value. The meeting concluded with the ITER Director-General's remarks that collaboration on intellectual property issues among the Members continues to be a driving force for the success of the ITER Project.