1. Introduction
The ODIN Portal is an entry point to other scientific systems designed and developed by (and/or for) the European Commission to manage data of relevance to the energy technology sector. It is a web-enabled scientific database application for managing experimental and observational data of relevance to the energy technology sector but having potential for reuse in other industrial contexts. Currently, MatDB (an application for experimentally measured engineering materials data) is the only application hosted on the ODIN Portal (hereinafter the "Portal").
The JRC instance of MatDB is freely available to the (European) research community through an open access module (called 'MatDB Open') and through bilateral arrangements can be configured to serve the data management needs of individual research organisations (hereinafter the "Open Access Distribution" or "Non-commercial Distribution"). Alternatively, for organisations preferring to manage their data on their own infrastructure, there is also a commercial version of MatDB available from IRTA Software Systeme GmbH (hereinafter the "Commercial Distribution").
The MatDB database application supports modules to upload, browse, and retrieve data and can be configured for open, registered, and restricted data access. More specifically, it is composed of two modules, namely a data retrieval/access module and a data entry module.
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The MatDB data retrieval/access module allows users to select and view MatDB data. Without an account (in practice, there is a 'hidden' guest account for such users), the access is limited to open access data (typically, data stemming from institutional projects involving the EC and thus redistributed under an open data license (e.g. CC BY 4.0)). Access to registered/restricted access data is limited to registered users (i.e. users which have created an individual account). The extent of such access to registered/restricted access data depends on the data/project owners (consortium members using MatDB for (project) data management): users only have access to the restricted access data for which the data owners have granted them access. The EC is not competent in this regard (e.g. the JRC itself does not have access to all restricted data (although it does mostly have access, e.g. for all the multi-partner FP projects where the JRC is a partner, while for certain bilateral arrangements where it is not a partner, it does not have access)), so that access should thus be requested to data/project owners directly.
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The MatDB data entry module allows users to enter and manage their test data in MatDB (i.e. to manage their project data). Such data entry rights are granted only to registered users on a case-by-case basis, upon motivated request to be submitted to the Portal manager.
MatDB is also enabled for data citation using DataCite DOIs and its RESTful machine interface leverages interoperability standards for engineering materials data.
The present policy (hereinafter the "Data Policy") aims to set out the terms governing the access to the Portal and the MatDB application.
2. Definitions
"Access Right": the level of access granted to a user of MatDB, varying from Commercial Access, Data Entry Access and Open Data Access to Restricted Data Access;
"Commercial Access": access to the commercial version of MatDB pursuant to the Commercial Distribution thereof by IRTA Software Systeme GmbH in accordance with Agreement nr. 36849 and subject to the terms agreed between such Commercial User and IRTA Software Systeme GmbH.
"Commercial User": a user having Commercial Access to MatDB;
"Data Entry Access": the broadest access to MatDB, open only to Registered Users and granted only to selected users on request – users with such access rights have, in addition to Open Data and Restricted Data Access, the right to upload/modify data on the Portal via the MatDB data entry module;
"MatDB": the MatDB application hosted on the Portal;
"MatDB ToU": the MatDB terms of use governing the use of MatDB, as available on the Portal at ToU;
"Non-Commercial User": all users who do not have Commercial Access to MatDB;
"Open Data Access": the most basic, default access to MatDB (via the MatDB data retrieval/access module), applicable for Unregistered Users – such access is limited to open data (e.g. data distributed under CC BY 4.0) and does not include access to restricted data or the ability to upload and/or modify data on the Platform;
"Portal": the ODIN portal, available online at https://odin.jrc.ec.europa.eu;
"Registered User": a Non-Commercial User using MatDB after having registered/created a personal account on the Portal – registration is required to have Restricted Data and/or Data Entry Access;
"Restricted Data Access": the MatDB access applicable to Registered Users without Data Entry Access rights – registration allows users to also, in addition to the default Open Data Access, have access to (selected) restricted data (via the MatDB data retrieval/access module – to the extent that the owners of such registered data have provided access thereto to the concerned Registered User(s));
"Screening Criteria": the main criteria used for the screening of users requesting Data Entry Access;
"Unregistered User": a Non-Commercial User using MatDB without registering on the Portal (a 'hidden' guest account is then automatically created) – such users only have Open Data Access and cannot access restricted data, nor upload or modify any data on the Platform;
3. Use requirements
Users of MatDB shall at all times:
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comply with the present Data Policy and the MatDB ToU;
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respect their respective Access Rights and any restrictions associated therewith and refrain from any actions (such as e.g. accessing certain data) which would (knowingly or unknowingly) exceed such Access Rights;
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for Commercial Users, comply with the terms agreed with IRTA Software Systeme GmbH;
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use ODIN and MatDB (irrespective of its version) and any data thereon and/or related thereto only for civilian purposes.
4. User access
Users of MatDB acknowledge and accept that the European Union:
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has no obligation to provide access to MatDB and any data thereon and/or related thereto; and
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is free to refuse or revoke such access at any time, without justification and/or prior notice;
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shall be entitled (via the system manager/administrator) to conduct a screening for any user requesting Data Entry Access, taking into account in particular the Screening Criteria set out below.
5. Data/project owner
Users with Data Entry Access shall be responsible for:
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ensuring they have the necessary rights to the submitted data;
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determining the level of access of third parties to such submitted data (Restricted or Open Data Access).
6. Screening
To be entitled to have Data Entry Access, MatDB users (entities) shall be subject to a screening, in accordance with the following Screening Criteria:
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The entity must be based in and/or have their centre of main interests (COMI) in an EU Member State or in a country associated to the Euratom Research and Training Program and/or participate in a European Research & Development project, action, or network;
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The entity must not pursue military activities, or where an entity pursues both civilian and military activities, there must be a clear separation between these activities, and the use must be restricted to the civilian part of such entity's operations (the user must be able provide proof thereof upon request);
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The entity must not itself be considered as, nor be associated with any person, entity or country who is considered as – in the EU's reasonable opinion – a threat to the EU's strategic assets, interests, autonomy or security;
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The entity must not have any links to weapons manufacturers.
Without prejudice to the above, the European Union retains the right to refuse, suspend and/or revoke the Data Entry Access of a user without explanation and/or prior notice (i.e. even where a user complies with the abovementioned Screening Criteria).