On 16 April the European Commission adopted the revised Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBER) and Technology Transfer Guidelines.

The revised rules provide a framework for assessing technology licensing and related agreements under Article 101 TFEU to support the dissemination of technology, incentivise R&D and promote innovation in the EU.

The revision follows a four-year evaluation of the 2014 rules.

What's new? The main changes include brand new guidance on:

·        Data licensing agreements; and

·        Licensing negotiation groups (LNGs).

The revision also simplifies the application of the TTBER’s market share thresholds, fine-tunes the guidance on technology pools and updates other areas of the Guidelines to reflect recent case-law.

The new rules enter into force on 1 May 2026.

Participants in this first 'Chatham House rule' in-person / webinar discussion including technical Q&As with Sophie Moonen, Paul Bridgeland, Christina Vallejo Gil, Magdalena Popiołek, Marco Vischi and Gianluca Pastuglia will gain valuable insights into the practical application of the rules for their clients’ existing and future licensing arrangements in fast-moving innovation-driven, standards-heavy and other sectors deemed essential to Europe’s economy.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/877 (21.04.26)

Technology Transfer Guidelines (21.04.26)

Explanatory note (16.04.26)

Press release (16.04.26)

Informal guidance letter in relation to the Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group (09.07.25)

'Evaluating the TTBER - results & the way forward?'  S. Moonen & COMP colleagues (16.01.25)