# Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community, Article 18


1. All rights in any writings or other work done by any official in the performance of his duties shall be the property of the European Union where such writings or work relate to its activities or, where such writings or work relate to activities of the European Atomic Energy Community, the property of that Community. The Union or, where applicable, the European Atomic Energy Community shall have the right to acquire compulsorily the copyright in such works.
2. Any invention made by an official in the course of or in connection with the performance of his duties shall be the undisputed property of the Union. The institution may, at its own expense and on behalf of the Union, apply for and obtain patents therefor in all countries. Any invention relating to the work of the Union made by an official during the year following the expiration of his term of duty shall, unless proved otherwise, be deemed to have been made in the course of or in connection with the performance of his duties. Where inventions are the subject of patents, the name of the inventor or inventors shall be stated.
3. The institution may in appropriate cases award a bonus, the amount of which shall be determined by the institution, to an official who is the author of a patented invention.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/1962/31/article/18 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1962-31/article-18
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.