Intellectual Property Law in Belgium

During the last decades our economy has become significantly knowledge based and driven. Intellectual property (IP) and knowhow are more than ever valuable assets, giving companies a market edge and protection from competitors. However, at the same time, this defensive mechanism traditionally adopted by companies has been challenged by the growing need for open innovation. As a result of the rise of technological complexity, research and development (R&D) indeed now often requires setting up collaborations between companies, universities and/or research institutions.

Eversheds Brussels has established a vast expertise in various fields of intellectual property rights (IPRs) (including patents (and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs)), trademarks, designs, plant breeders rights, copyrights, protection of databases and software), knowhow protection and transfer of technology.

We assist clients in both litigation and advisory types of work and act for them in cases across a wide range of sectors, including the chemical, agricultural, aerospace, industrial engineering, automotive, food and cosmetic industries.

We have also extensive experience in assisting companies active in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices industries concerning IP and regulatory issues. We acted on many important patent/SPC infringement/invalidity cases for Life Sciences clients.

We also regularly assist clients in IP transactional matters, such as licensing and manufacturing of medicines and medical devices and product and business acquisitions and disposals (including the transfer of marketing authorisations and brands).

Intellectual Property areas

Advertising, sponsorship and marketing	Copyrights	Databases
Designs	IP litigation	Knowhow protection
Life Sciences IP	Life Sciences IP litigation	Software protection
Trademarks and branding	Patents and SPCs	Plant breeders rights

Intellectual Property Law Experience

Assisting a pharmaceutical company in several patent/SPC infringement/invalidity litigation cases

Assisting an innovative manufacturer of recycled materials in patent infringement court proceedings concerning plastic grids in gardening and landscaping

Assisting a well-known bathroom design manufacturer in design infringement court proceedings concerning showerheads

Assisting a University Medical Center in court proceedings concerning the ownership rights on an employee invention covering a medical device

Assisting a pharmaceutical company in court proceedings against a parallel importer of medicines

Assisting plant breeders companies in negotiating and drafting IP & knowhow agreements (e.g. R&D, licensing and consortium agreements)

Assisting a client with negotiating and drafting agreements concerning official equipment and merchandising of official sporting teams

Assisting different companies in the life sciences sector with negotiating and drafting licensing and manufacturing agreements for medicines and medical devices

Contact us

Koen Devos, Partner

+32 2 737 93 60
E-mail Koen Devos

Eversheds Sutherland is the name and brand under which the members of Eversheds Sutherland Limited (Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP) and their respective controlled, managed and affiliated firms and the members of Eversheds Sutherland (Europe) Limited (each an "Eversheds Sutherland Entity" and together the "Eversheds Sutherland Entities") provide legal or other services to clients around the world. Eversheds Sutherland Entities are constituted and regulated in accordance with relevant local regulatory and legal requirements and operate in accordance with their locally registered names. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland, is for description purposes only and does not imply that the Eversheds Sutherland Entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. The responsibility for the provision of services to the client is defined in the terms of engagement between the instructed firm and the client.