[Defended thesis] Laura Tomasso: Legal study of digital platforms in the area of Digital Agriculture

Legal study of digital platforms in the area of Digital Agriculture
 

My name is Laura Tomasso and I started my law thesis in October 2017.I studied at the Faculty of Law in Nîmes and then in Montpellier, in the heart of the wine-growing region. After my Master II, I wanted to continue in research. I was sensitive to the issue of data in the digital domain and open data policy, which is why Agnès Robin, my thesis supervisor, suggested this subject on agricultural data.My subject is cross-disciplinary, and I propose to analyze agricultural data in terms of digital law and intellectual property law.
Is there such a thing as agricultural data law?  What types of data are involved in digital agriculture? Who are the players interacting in connected agriculture? What contracts can be drawn up to organize the circulation, reservation and management of data, with the aim of achieving balance?

• Starting date: October 2017
• University: MUSE Montpellier Université d’Excellence
• PhD school:  461 – Droit et Science Politique – Montpellier (France), Montpellier
• Scientific field:  Law / Economics, Agronomy, Management, Information and Communication Sciences
• Thesis management:  Agnès Robin (University of Montpellier)
• Thesis supervisors:  Agnès Robin (University of Montpellier, , UMR 5815 – Dynamiques du Droit), François Brun (Acta), Guy Faure (Cirad, Innovation), Pierre Maurel (Inrae, Tetis)
• Funding: #DigitAg – University of Montpellier
• #DigitAg : Cofunded PhD – Axe 2 (Innovation en agriculture numérique) – Challenges : Sujet transversal

Keywords: Data law, agricultural data, collaborative platforms, intellectual property, digital agriculture

Abstract: This phd study is dealing with the legal and ethical analysis of digital platforms in the area of Digital Agriculture. It is proposed to think in a efficient way how french and european law can lead agricultural and farming activities in the specific digital context of the Internet of Things (IoT). Through connected objects (embedded sensors in agricultural equipment), farmers are producing lots of data, e.g. about ground or water state, etc. Data are collected through sensors by companies who offer then to farmers a range of services of data handling. These different services are used by farmers — who are standing in the middle of the information system — through digital platforms. The question that come up is to know how platform activities are regulated, especially when platforms are resulting from a private, private/public initiative. The question has to be answered in accordance with different types of legal rules of several disciplins or legal subjects (private/public Law, and through private Law : IP/IT Law, contract Law, criminal Law). A lot of matters or questions are actually concerned, and specificly : dissemination of data related to agricultural technical and economical activities (open data/privacy/trade secrets) ; terms and conditions (licences) of the use of data by farmers or by others persons (researchers, citizens) ; security of data storage and dissemination. Besides the research will consist to answer theses questions precisely and clearly, through different ways (methods) of regulation (contracts, best practices, legal propositions), which can insure a well balance between opposite interests and make farmers free of their economical and technological choices. This study will be based on a state of art, considering that less scientific litterature (in legal discipline) is concerning the question in its entirety. This fact contributes to indicate its innovative dimension.

Jury compound:

• M. Thibault Douville, Professeur, Université de Caen (Rapporteur) 
• M. Sylvain Chatry, Maître de conférences HDR, Université de Perpignan (Rapporteur) 
• Mme Mélanie Clément-Fontaine, Professeure, Université Paris-Saclay  
• Mme Nathalie Mallet-Poujol, Direcrtrice de recherche CNRS, Université de Montpellier (CEPEL) 
• Mme Véronique Bellon-Maurel, Ingénieure, INRAe
• Mme Agnès Robin, Maître de conférences HDR, Université de Montpellier

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Contact : agnesrobin [AT] free.fr

Social network: LinkedIn