European and International IP Law (5 ECTS)

Lecturers: to be announced

When: block 4

Brief description:
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) defines intellectual property (IP) as the "creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce." The law protects IP by providing creators with exclusive control, subject to exceptions and limitations, over their intellectual creations. Depending on the nature of the intellectual work, the protection (or control) may take the form of, for example, copyright, patents, or trademarks. IP protection is necessary for protecting the human dignity of creators, stimulating innovation, and enriching culture. This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of EU and international intellectual property law. The course will discuss the philosophy of IP protection; its human rights law basis; and the substantive EU IP law including the law of copyright, patents, trademarks, designs, plant varieties, and confidential information and trade secrets. Further, the course will discuss the enforcement of intellectual property right in the EU and the relation between the EU IP law and the international intellectual property system.

Teaching method: working groups

Assessment: written exam (60%), case note (40%)