Research articles on INNOVATION

Does competiton law apply to search engines and social networks? The paper maintains that existing competition concepts are flexible enough to be adequately applied to these internet services.

This article examines the stance of the European Union vis-à-vis internet services company Google in two controversial instances: the ‘right to be forgotten’ and the implementation of EU competition rules.

The Aero case encapsulates a dilemma facing courts in the US and EU – that a ruling to shut down a company, on the basis that it is unlawful under copyright law, could threaten innovation in areas such as the cloud.

Bitcoin is the first decentralised, peer-to-peer network that allows for the proof and transfer of ownership of virtual currencies without the need for a trusted third party. The purpose of this article is to address how we can capture Bitcoin’s potential benefits for the economy while addressing new regulatory challenges.

Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin are often seen as a threat by governmental and financial institutions worldwide. Regulation could help minimise the risks involved. The author explores some legal and self-regulatory precedents from which we can learn.

The new European public sector information directive, released in June 2013, makes “marginal cost” the default charge for government data. How to implement this principle? A consultation is ongoing. This article focusses on the calculation criteria for marginal costs.

Over the years, the video game industry has grown into one of the largest, most profitable entertainment industries in the world. Originality and innovation - instead of fueling competition and guaranteeing a diverse market - are regarded by many as risky ventures. Some would even argue that innovation in the industry is not really innovative at all anymore. It doesn’t come as a surprise then, that user-driven innovation has come to play a considerably important role for the industry in recent years.

According to a row of policy institutes, digital fabrication will become a motor for economic growth and social innovation. The sudden appearance of digital fabrication tools only makes sense when understood against the backdrop of an emerging movement around open hardware development.

Tax avoidance has become a widespread practice on the internet. Online operators easily circumvent an aging taxation scheme that is designed around the concept of territorial jurisdiction and geographical settings. The French government now commissioned a study to find out how to effectively deal with internet giants that generate hardly any revenue for states they largely operate in.