‘Brexit’ poses considerable challenges for intellectual property law and presents uncertainty as to the involvement of the UK, following its exit from the EU, in existing and proposed international regimes involving European Union (
EU) law.
In March 2018, the text of a draft “partial agreement” was published
[1]. It indicates that, assuming the UK and the EU reach agreement on the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, this will include a ‘transition period’ lasting from 29 March 2019 until 31 December 2020. During the transition period (if agreed) the
status quo would largely remain in place for intellectual property. The relationship between the UK and the EU beyond 2020 remains a matter of negotiation.
[1] Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of 19 March 2018, updated by a joint statement from the negotiators of the European Union and the United Kingdom government on progress of negotiations under Article 50 TEU on the United Kingdom’s orderly withdrawal from the European Union, of 19 June 2018.