96/9/EC - The Database Directive

A somewhat related directive (related to the topic of the rightful processing of personal data) that may be relevant for scientific research is the so-called Database directive (Directive 96/9/EC). This Directive is mainly interesting because of the way it protects intellectual property on data that have been collected in a database. In general, it is not so much the data that is protected but rather the structure of the database that can rely upon an intellectual property right. Vayena et argue that access to data in databases that are shielded away (for instance because of commercial motives) might become part of lawsuits given the right to access as indicated in the GDPR