Guidance on Intellectual Property Infringement

If your business infringes the Intellectual Property (IP) rights of others, you could face civil and/or criminal proceedings against you and your business. Employers can be held vicariously liable for IP infringements by employees.

In order to protect your business and avoid serious legal and security risks, it is important to:

• understand how IP rights infringements can occur;
• have a strategy in place for avoiding them; and
• know how to address such a problem if it does arise.

To this end, the Intellectual Property Office has published guidance relevant to all businesses that have the capacity to infringe the IP rights owned by others.