Issue 4 2019

20 Acquisition International - Issue 4 2019 method. In order to go one step further and provide clients with a one- stop-shop solution for the protection of their confidential information, Gevers has partnered up with Chawton Innovation Services to offer its clients a unique, efficient and easy to use trade secret management tool. This tool can be run directly by your organisation or by Gevers on its client’s behalf. WR180004 Company: GEVERS Belgium firm, Gevers, has developed its own unique tool for protecting its clients’ assets. We find out more as the firm is awarded Best for Chemistry-Related Patent Law - Belgium & Best European Patent Attorney 2018 – Belgium in the Winners Review 2018. evers is an IP firm based in Belgium, with six offices across the country, as well as three in France and two in Switzerland. Self-proclaimed as ‘committed to client’s intellectual property assets’, Gevers’ objective is to be its clients privileged partner for the protection, the management and the exploitation of intellectual property along the full life-cycle of assets, totally aligned with its client’s business strategies. Today, the increasing importance of confidential information in the business environment is no longer a secret. With the rise of open innovation, greater employee mobility and increased cyber threats, the value of trade secrets and the need to proactively protect them has increased drastically over the years. Trade secrets are important not only for R&D, innovation, competitiveness and growth, as is the need for a strong management and protection system - a must for any innovative company. This growing importance of trade secrets has been acknowledged by the EU legislator and a new EU Directive, the ‘Trade Secret Directive’, was brought into play on June 8, 2016 (EU Directive 2016/943). Its objective is to harmonise the protection of undisclosed business information (trade secrets) against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure. However, with increased protection comes increased risk. A notable consequence of the adoption of this directive is to strengthen the powers granted to trade secret owners by giving them better tools to fight against trade secrets misappropriation. The flipside, of course, is increased risks for the recipient of trade secret entrusted by a third party. Not handling them properly could lead to disastrous consequences and a well-organised management, plus the tracking of trade secrets within an organisation, has therefore become part of good management practice. With the implementation of the EU directive into national laws, only those who will be able to prove that they have taken ‘reasonable steps’ to keep the information secret will be able to invoke the protection granted by the enhanced protection regime. The first step is therefore to identify, classify and manage trade secrets within the organisation so as to implement the right measures to protect confidentiality and be able to provide evidence to this end. Implementing a comprehensive strategy to manage confidential information within an organisation should be at the top of everyone’s priority list. Gevers has developed a comprehensive and legally compliant Trade Secret Offer that enables its clients to better protect, manage and enforce their trade secrets through the implementation of a four step Trade Secrets “Implementing a comprehensive strategy to manage confidential information within an organisation should be at the top of everyone’s priority list.” G