Regulation

Uniform Protection of Trade Secrets in the EU? Hooray! Ole! Hourra!

European Union officials have just issued a draft set of rules that would impose uniform trade secret guidelines across the EU, motivated by trade pact negotiations with the United States and concerns about state-sponsored spying, according to The New York Times.  Although the leaders of the European Commission have yet to sign off on the proposed rules, they plan to adopt them tentatively on November 27.  The rules are then subject to a long legislative negotiating process before they come into force. READ MORE

Fracking Trade Secret Rules: A Tug of War Without Winners

In the approximately 31 states with known reserves amenable to hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” a tug of war is being waged between an oil and gas industry seeking to protect its proprietary processes and environmental groups that want to know the secret sauce.  Because fracking was carved out of federal oversight in 2005, determining where the balance lies has been left to the states.  Not surprisingly, consensus is not the order of the day.  Trade Secrets Watch prepared a state-by-state chart that highlights the key provisions of the states currently requiring disclosure.  To view the chart, click here: flipbook / PDF.

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