Industrial property: R&D project contracts
Contracts are an indispensable tool for research project management and shared development.
Not only do contracts provide legal and economic assurance by specifying the rights of each party, particularly concerning the results of the project, as well as corresponding obligations, but they also provide a means of dialogue and mutual understanding of each partner’s expectations, along with a structured approach.
The contractual relationships of a research and development project within a competitiveness cluster are complex, due to the large number of participants, the complexity and sensitivity of the technologies, and the diversity of objectives.
The following table presents a summary of the main contracts resulting from a shared research and development project. They provide a list of the main types of contracts (the “Which contract?”column), the moment when it should be signed (the “When?” column) and the overall objective (the “Why?” column).
The right attitude towards contracts:
- Talk about the contract at the beginning of any discussions or partnership exchanges
- Take the initiative to offer a contract
- Think about your objectives and those of your partners, anticipate the risks of antagonism, and prevent them by seeking reasonable and consensual solutions
- Never divulge confidential information without a confidentiality agreement
- Don’t “ignore” your contract once signed; instead ensure its application
For further information, see the practical data sheets on the Ministry’s website.
