Faced with the exponential rise of data as an asset class in its own right, organisations are now taking a fresh look at the data that are available or accessible to them and the ways in which the value of those data can be safeguarded, unlocked and maximised. Data have become a strategic and valuable asset for many organisations but protecting and exploiting that asset is not always simple.Our feature article, published in May's edition of PLC Magazine and linked in this post, considers data as an asset, how intellectual property rights can be employed to protect data, how data can be used effectively and how to minimise associated legal risks. Read more
The Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement, the largest free-trade agreement between Japan and the EU (aka Japan-EU Free Trade Agreement or JEFTA) entered into force on 1 February. JEFTA eliminates most custom duties and trade barriers between Japan and the EU and sets out rules enhancing mutual intellectual property protection and recognition. JEFTA will not apply … Read more
As part of the French Law on the Protection of Trade Secrets dated 31 July 2018, French lawmakers have finally adopted a long-awaited array of confidentiality rules covering the trade secrets that are being relied upon in cases that come before civil and commercial courts. Such provision was a requirement of the EU Trade Secrets … Read more
Here’s a short video made for Practical Law, in which Herbert Smith Freehills IP and Employment Professional Support Consultants, Rachel Montagnon and Anna Henderson, discuss the impact of the UK’s recent Trade Secrets (Enforcement etc) Regulations 2018 and practical approaches to protecting confidential information and trade secrets. Key issues discussed are: The new, common definition of a trade secret What … Read more
Italian Legislative Decree 63 – 11 May 2018, implementing Directive (EU) 2016/943 on trade secrets, entered into force on 22 June 2018. The Italian legal system was already at the forefront of trade secret protection, affording twenty years’ protection to both commercial and manufacturing and industrial-technical trade secrets, in full compliance with the 1994 Agreement … Read more
The Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018 (the “Regulations”) came into force on 9 June 2018 and transpose Directive (EU) 2016/943 (the “Directive”) into UK law. Summary: The aim of the Directive is to create a level playing field by harmonising this area of law across the EU. The UK already has well-developed legal protection … Read more
The Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018 (the “Regulations”) are intended to be in force by 9 June 2018 to transpose Directive (EU) 2016/943 (the “Directive”) into UK law. The UK IPO is in the process of consulting on the proposed Regulations. Summary: The UK already has well-developed legal protection for trade secrets (either in … Read more
Drawing on our practitioners’ experience and understanding of the intellectual property and technology issues facing our clients in the fast changing world in which we all now do business, we made innovation and disruptive technology the key themes at our 2018 IP Update Conference. Described by one attendee as “The perfect mixture of commercial and … Read more
