Council of the European Union and European Parliament 8 June 2016, Directive (EU) 2016/943 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on the protection of undisclosed know-how and business information (trade secrets) against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure (Text with EEA relevance)

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Directive (EU) 2016/943 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 establishes a harmonised civil law framework across the EU for the protection of trade secrets—defined as secret information with commercial value subject to reasonable confidentiality measures—against unlawful acquisition, use, and disclosure, with the aim of ensuring a sufficient and consistent level of redress within the internal market. Key provisions include a uniform definition of trade secrets and infringing goods, enumerated lawful and unlawful means of acquisition, use, and disclosure, mandatory exceptions for whistleblowing, journalistic freedom, and workers' representative functions, and a comprehensive set of civil remedies including provisional measures, injunctions, corrective measures, damages, and publication of judicial decisions. Member States were required to transpose the Directive by 9 June 2018, may provide more far-reaching protection subject to specified minimum safeguards, and must not apply the Directive's measures in a manner that restricts employee mobility or fundamental rights.AI