A licence is basically a permission granted by the copyright owner allowing another party to perform certain actions on a specific property of the copyright owner. The licence contract or agreement forms the legal basis of the specific rights of use that are transferred to the licensee in a very detailed manner.

The Licensing Assistant is a tool that helps users to choose, compare and combine suitable open-source licences for their material. It provides guidance on licence compatibility and helps users understand the legal implications of using a particular open-source licence.