Data and Technology Transfer: Competition Law in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Data and Technology Transfer: Competition Law in the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Anselm Kamperman Sanders (Maastricht University)
ISBN:9789403522135
Kluwer Law International

Technology transfer is crucial for the commercialisation of inventive and creative activity, as well as for industrial and societal development. In assessing whether the 4IR can spur innovation in sensitive sectors such as energy production and storage, carbon emission reduction, sustainable food production, and environmental preservation, equality in access to technological progress will be key in providing a sustainable development path for future generations. Traditionally, technology transfer has been a topic that has been deined by OECD. This contribution asks the question whether the traditional outlook on technology transfer is still suitable for the 4IR data-driven economy, where the crucial building blocks for innovation comprise (non-)personal data and artiicial intelligence next to traditional technical means. The 4IR therefore requires greater regulatory oversight from competition
authorities where data mining and processing is considered as a crucial element in the assessment of market dominance and potential abusive behaviour.