Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988: Primary UK legislation governing copyright, design rights, and patents. Establishes the fundamental framework for protecting intellectual property rights in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, as well as performances, broadcasts and recordings.
Trade Marks Act 1994: Main legislation governing trademark protection in the UK, covering registration, infringement, licensing, and enforcement of trademark rights.
Patents Act 1977: Core legislation for patent protection in the UK, detailing requirements for patentability, application procedures, and enforcement of patent rights.
Registered Designs Act 1949: Legislation protecting the visual appearance of products through registered design rights, including application procedures and enforcement.
Design Right (Semiconductor Topographies) Regulations 1989: Specific regulations protecting the three-dimensional configuration of semiconductor products.
Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989: Legislation setting out formal requirements for contracts, including those dealing with property and intellectual property rights.
Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999: Legislation governing how third parties may enforce terms of contracts, including IP agreements, that benefit them.
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018: Post-Brexit legislation affecting how EU-derived IP rights are treated in UK law.
Berne Convention: International treaty governing copyright protection across multiple jurisdictions, establishing minimum standards of protection.
TRIPS Agreement: International agreement setting minimum standards for IP regulation in WTO member countries.
WIPO Copyright Treaty: International treaty addressing copyright protection in the digital environment.
Paris Convention: International treaty providing common rules for industrial property protection, including patents and trademarks.
Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018: UK regulations protecting confidential business information and trade secrets.
Database Right (Protection of Databases) Regulations 1997: Regulations providing specific protection for databases, both original and non-original.
Data Protection Act 2018: Legislation governing personal data protection, relevant when IP involves personal data processing.
Competition Act 1998: Legislation ensuring IP agreements do not restrict competition in the UK market.
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Articles 101 and 102): EU competition law provisions affecting IP agreements and potentially applicable in UK through retained EU law.
