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Trade secrets directive

02 December 2016

Earlier this year we reported that the European Council had formally adopted a draft directive for the protection of trade secrets across the EU (the Directive). It came into force on 5 July 2016 and EU member states have until 9 June 2018 to incorporate it into domestic law. Although the UK will still be a member of the EU by then, it is not certain to implement the Directive.

The UK has a well-developed law of confidence to protect trade secrets, which is closely aligned with the Directive, and therefore it may make little difference to businesses based only in the UK.

However, UK-based businesses with an EU presence, or cross-border operations, will want the Directive implemented to ensure that the level of protection for trade secrets across the EU matches that already provided in the UK.

Get in touch with our team of expert lawyers who will be willing to guide you through any questions or issues you may have.

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Our corporate & commercial team is rated by national legal guides The Legal 500 and Chambers UK. The department’s expert lawyers can help businesses big or small on a variety of corporate challenges that may arise.

Disclaimer: All legal information is correct at the time of publication but please be aware that laws may change over time. This article contains general legal information but should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please seek professional legal advice about your specific situation - contact us; we’d be delighted to help.
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