Thesis:

Interrelated clauses in technology transfer contracts

Interrelated conditions in the technology transfer agreement are defined as a procedure in which the license agreement is subject to the acceptance of another license agreement or the purchase of other products from the licensor by the licensee. At present, interconnected conditions have become one of the basic issues of competition law, and this condition is the most famous anti-competitive condition included in the intellectual property license agreement. By using interconnected terms, the main types of which are contractual and technological joint sales, companies dominating the market can abuse their monopoly status and create anti-competitive effects, including eliminating competitors and reducing innovation. Of course, interconnected terms may have positive effects such as increasing the quality of the original product, ensuring compatibility between products, gaining reputation for new companies, maintaining intellectual property rights, and increasing the welfare of consumers. Therefore, this procedure is sometimes declared illegal and sometimes legal. Interrelated terms allow the manufacturer of the original product to protect the quality of its product against inferior or non-conforming by-products. Also, patent related terms are a type of commercial restriction that obliges the patent holder, licensee or buyer to purchase products related to the product protected by the patent from him.

Keywords: Interrelated terms, technology transfer agreement, intellectual property, competition rights