SME Chamber

Survey on use, misappropriation and litigation on confidential business information and trade secret

01 December 2012

Companies can protect their
competitiveness through a range of means, including in particular trademarks,
designs and patents. However, there is a substantial volume of information,
know-how and innovation steps that are not protectable through intellectual
property rights.

Business information, such as a list of
customers, lists of providers, the price to be offered in a negotiation or bid;
the results of certain market studies; the particulars of a new product to be
launched, is usually treated as confidential.

Following a call for tenders, the
European Commission contracted Baker & McKenzie to carry out a study on the
economic and legal aspects linked with the use, misappropriation and litigation
on confidential business information and trade secrets.

In this context Baker & McKenzie is
launching a survey aimed at collecting information on how companies manage
their know-how and other information of strategic value for their
competitiveness. The data to be collected from companies from all sizes and
locations within the European Union will help the European Commission to better
evaluate whether there is a need to provide companies, and in particular SMEs,
with better means of reaction against dishonest practices of information
stealing or trade secret theft.

The European Commission encourages any
company to participate in the survey. In order to do so simply send a message
to expressing
your willingness to participate. You will then receive an e-mail providing a
user ID, a password and a link to the webpage of the survey. You will be able
to choose between a number of languages in which to complete the survey.

More information is provided in the
following website of the European Commission : http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/iprenforcement/conferences/index_en.htm

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