diff --git a/COPYING b/COPYING
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..4e51f7a27c2ab0ef61ea1cff00b140bb8908b3db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/COPYING
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Copyright 2021, MPI für Meteorologie
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+
+3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/README b/README
index 295410746101da49500108bfcc47eb06e33b7c49..444139f88ae27f9afa55550e7a6f02c7fd98175d 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ CDI - Climate Data Interface
 
      See the AUTHORS file for the list of authors.
 
-     CDI is licensed under the 3-clause BSD License.This License covers all files in the CDI repository
+     CDI is licensed under the 3-clause BSD License. This License covers all files in the CDI repository
      unless stated otherwise. Read the file LICENSE in the source distribution for details.
 
      MPI-M makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the Software and any results