The road towards the harmonisation of trade secrets law in the European Union

Trade secrets have traditionally been protected in various ways by national laws in the European Union. The international intellectual property treaties offered only a limited common core. From this starting point this article examines the new EU draft directive on trade secrets. The aim is not to put in place a comprehensive EU regime for the protection of trade secrets. There will only be a partial harmonisation of the national laws of the Member States, focussing on the unlawful acquisition, disclosure and use of trade secrets, and that harmonization will be of a minimalist nature in the sense that Member States may provide, in compliance with the provisions of the Treaty, for more far-reaching protection against the unlawful acquisition, use or disclosure of trade secrets than that required in the Directive