Belgium

Country code:

BE

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Background of colaboration

Information about funding opportunities for R&D projects:


Name of the programme	Funding organisation	Countries	Research Actions	Limitations
Belgian “Polar Platform”	Belgian Science Policy Office	Belgium	The major Antarctica research themes include: Climate and atmosphere Biodiversity Geology and geophysics Astrophysics Data- and collection management	Information not available
Belgian North Sea research and the oceanographic research vessel Belgica	Belgian Science Policy Office	International	Two kinds of multi-annual projects are financed: - Strategic research actions: to explore the complex nature of the phenomena which govern and influence the marine environment, longer term and more basic research is essential; - Targeted research actions: the research can have to do with biological, physical and chemical aspects and socioeconomic and legal issues.	Information not available
AGORA: Research infrastructure for social sciences	Belgian Science Policy Office	Information not available	Information not available	Information not available
BRAIN-be: Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks	Belgian Science Policy Office	Belgium	The framework programme is structured around 6 thematic areas: Ecosystems, biodiversity, evolution; Geosystems, universe and climate; Cultural, historical and scientific heritage; Federal public strategies; Major societal challenges; Management of collections.	Information not available
IAP: Interuniversity Attraction Poles	Belgian Science Policy Office	International	An IAP is an interuniversity network of scientific teams conducting basic research in any scientific domain. Each network comprises at least four partners belonging to different Belgian institutions (universities or federal scientific institutions). Each network includes at least one partner belonging to each of the two main Belgium’s linguistic communities (the Flemish and the French-speaking Community).	Information not available
Belgian Co-ordinated Collections of Microorganisms (BCCM)	Belgian Science Policy Office	International	Information not available	Information not available
Biodiversity	Belgian Science Policy Office	Information not available	Information not available	Information not available

Partner search facilities:


Name	Description	Scope	Costs
EC National Contact Points	Advice and individual assistance to establish cooperation. Advice and assistance for R&D cooperation in specific areas	Given country - EU	Free of charge

Resources of information:


Name	Description	Costs
Compera	Their activities are multiple: pooling of knowledge, creation of new knowledge by performing different types of research, training and dissemination of knowledge.	Information not available
Innoviris	Innoviris is an administrative organisation with the mission to promote and support technological innovation through the funding of research and development projects (prototypes) developed by companies and research organisations based in the Brussels area.	Information not available
NETWATCH	Mapping networks; providing information on Joint Calls; analysing the impact of programme collaboration; describing the scope and results of individual networks; supporting mutual learning among transnational programme networks.	Free of charge
COST European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research	It is mainly an inter EU program but also offering cooperation with Israel. COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level.	Free of charge
EUREKA	EUREKA is an international initiative which coordinates efforts of governments, research institutes and commercial companies concerning innovation. Its members are the EU countries and 14 more from around the world including Russia, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Albania.	Free of charge

Institutions supporting R&D collaboration:


Name	Description
Interministerial Conference for Science Policy (IMCSP)	IMCSP constitutes the instrument for consultation between the Federal Authority, the Communities and the Regions. It is the place where the co-operation agreements are worked out (including on matters of international importance) and where various procedures for collaboration and exchange of information between the different power levels are implemented.
The International Co-operation Commission (ICC) and the Federal Co-operation Commission (FCC)	The ICC and the FCC are two permanent Commissions of the IMCSP responsible for handling on the administrative level the consultation on matters of interest to the Federal Authority and the Federated Entities, respectively at the international level and at the Belgian level (IMCSP). They are made up of senior officials representing the federal, community and regional authorities.
Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT)	IWT is the government agency for Innovation by Science and Technology. IWT helps Flemish companies and research centres in realizing their research and development projects through offering financial funding, advice and a network of potential partners in Flanders and abroad. IWT also support the Flemish Government in its innovation policy.

Legal framework for R&D cooperation:


Name of the agreement	Description
Scientific and technological cooperation	Belgium is party to several international agreements and treaties of both multilateral and bilateral type.
European R&D Cooperation	Belgium participates in a number of European programmes and research infrastructure.
Extra-European R&D Cooperation	Within the framework of OECD, UNESCO, NATO, ERAfrica
Bilateral Cooperation	Belgium has signed bilateral cooperation agreements are signed with China, Vietnam and India.

General IP info

Categories of IP rights:


Category of IPR	Name of the law	Registration needed	Where to register
Copyright	Law on Copyright and Neighboring Rights of 1994	no	-
Patents	Patent Law of 1984	yes	The Belgian Office for Intellectual Property (OPRI)
Utility models	not protected	-	-
Trade marks	Benelux Convention on Intellectual Property (trademarks and designs)	information not available	The Benelux Office for the Intellectual Property (BOIP)
(Industrial) designs	Benelux Convention on Intellectual Property (trademarks and designs)	information not available	The Benelux Office for the Intellectual Property (BOIP)
Geographical Indications	Protected on EU-level - Regulations No 509/2006 and 510/2006	-	-
Know How	not protected	-	-
Plant Breeders Rights	Law on the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 2011	yes	The Belgian Office for Intellectual Property (OPRI)
Topographies of Semiconductor Products	Law on the Legal Protection of Topographies of Semiconductor Products of 1990	no information available in English	no information available in English

IPRs' databases:


Name of the source	What information can I find?	Language
Benelux Trademarks Register	Database of the Benelux Office for the Intellectual Property on trademarks valid in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg, Community trademarks and international trademarks which designate the Benelux.	English
Benelux Design Register	Database of the Benelux Office for the Intellectual Property on designs valid in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg.	English
Espacenet	Patents granted by European Patent Office	English

Research related limitations and exceptions to IPRs:


Category of IP right	Type of limitation	Description	Relevant regulation
Patents/Utility models/Designs	PATENTS ONLY Limitations on exclusivity	Acts done privately and for non-commercial purposes; Acts done for experimental purposes relating to the subject matter of the patented invention; The extemporaneous preparation for individual cases in a pharmacy of a medicine in accordance with a medical prescription or acts concerning the medicine so prepared.	Patent Law of 1984, Section 4, Article 28
Patents/Utility models
Industrial Designs
Topographies of Semiconductor Products
Trade Marks
Copyright	The following types of use shall not infringe copyright	Quotation Use in the family circle Reports on current events Works in places accessible to public Reproduction for a private or didactic purpose Caricature, parody and pastiche, observing fair practice Free performance during a public examination Preserving the cinematographic heritage Lending by public institution with educational or cultural intention	Law on Copyright and Neighboring Rights of 1994, Section 5, Article 21, 22, 23

IP Office:


Name of the office	Scope of activities
The Belgian Office for Intellectual Property (OPRI)	OPRI issues Belgian patents, supplementary protection certificates and plant variety right certificates. It oversees monitoring of their continuance. The OPRI also registers translations of European patents registered in Belgium. The OPRI has an important role of providing information. Moreover, the OPRI actively participates in developing and adapting Belgian regulations, treaties and national, European and international intellectual property agreements.
The Benelux Office for the Intellectual Property (BOIP)	BOIP is the official body for the registration of trademarks and designs in the Benelux.

IP treaties & agreements:


Berne Convention	introduces minimum standard of copyright protection	yes
Paris Convention	establishes minimum standards of industrial property protection	yes
TRIPS		yes
WIPO conventions		yes
PCT		yes
EPC		yes
Madrid Protocol	allows registration of trademarks via international route	yes
Hague Convention		yes
UPOV		yes

Ownership rules:


Default (statutory) regime for the ownership	Creator / successor in title
Default (statutory) regime for employee’s creations	Patents: There are no statutory rules regarding employee inventions / Copyrigh: With the employer if within scope of employer's business and this has been explicitly foreseen.
Ownership of research results in publicly sponsored research	Under the federal law, the research contract passed between the public authority and the researcher must stipulate expressly who acquires proprietary rights over research results. No professor's privilege.
Specific ownership rules for public HEIs/research organisations and possibility to modify it contractually	No specific regulation
Specific ownership regime for students/ visiting researchers/doctoral students and possibility to modify it contractually	No specific regulation
Related law (name & link)	Law on Copyright and Neighboring Rights of 1994 Patent Law of 1984

Dissemination rules:


Limitations on publication	information not available
Specific rules regarding publication of scientific results financed by public bodies	information not available
Non-disclosure clauses in research contracts	information not available

Specific incentives for innovation activities:


Related Law (name & Link)	information not available
Incentives provided by law for individual researchers	information not available
Related Law (name & Link)	information not available
Incentives provided by HEI for researcher	information not available

Form of commercialisation:


Form of commercialisation	Requirements regarding form of contract	Limitations for HEIs	HEIs Unit responsible for commercialisation	Related law (name & link)
License and transfer of rights	Each contact affecting the author (copyright) shall be in written form.	information not available	information not available	Law on Copyright and Neighboring Rights of 1994

Revenue sharing:


Remuneration/ Participation in revenues	Statutory rules regarding remuneration	Statutory rules regarding revenue sharing	Internal HEIs rules regarding revenue sharing	Related law (name & link)
information not available

Models of contracts used in R&D:


Type of contracts	Short description	Source (link)
Not available