€urocrat rules on technology transfer loom

THE EUROPEAN government in Brussels, Belgium, said that companies will be allowed to share technology with competitors as long as together they do not control more than 20 per cent of any given market.

Technology sharing has become common place as rivals combine their expertise to save time and money when developing technology products. However this has lead to anti-trust fears when a couple of companies combine to squeeze a company out of the market.

Companies with a bigger market presence will still be allowed to share intellectual property if they do not create competition problems, the EU executive Commission said.

EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said the move would strengthen the incentives for "innovation", a 21st century buzz word for "new things", while allowing competition The new rules will take effect on May Day. µ