Article III Information and data

Member States and the Agency shall facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical information pertaining to the fields of space research and technology and their space applications, provided that a Member State shall not be required to communicate any information obtained outside the Agency if it considers that such communication would be inconsistent with the interests of its own security or its own agreements with third parties, or the conditions under which such information has been obtained.

In carrying out its activities under Article V, the Agency shall ensure that any scientific results shall be published or otherwise made widely available after prior use by the scientists responsible for the experiments. The resulting reduced data shall be the property of the Agency.

When placing contracts or entering into agreements, the Agency shall, with regard to the resulting inventions and technical data, secure such rights as may be appropriate for the protection of its interests, of those of the Member States participating in the relevant programme, and of those of persons and bodies under their jurisdiction. These rights shall include in particular the rights of access, of disclosure, and of use. Such inventions and technical data shall be communicated to the participating States.

Those inventions and technical data that are the property of the Agency shall be disclosed to the Member States and may be used for their own purposes by these Member States and by persons and bodies under their jurisdiction, free of charge.

The detailed rules for the application of the foregoing provisions shall be adopted by the Council, by a two-thirds majority of all Member States.