Intellectual property

Definizione

Intellectual property (IP) covers intangible creations protected by law, including copyright, patents, trademarks, designs, and trade secrets, giving the owner exclusive rights to use and exploit them. Contracts must state who owns IP created during the relationship and what rights, if any, are licensed or transferred. Without express terms, default ownership rules (for instance, that a contractor generally retains copyright unless assigned) can produce unexpected results.

Esempio

A design agency's contract assigns all IP in deliverables to the client on full payment, while the agency keeps its pre-existing tools.

Perché rappresenta un rischio aziendale

IP ownership disputes are among the most damaging contract failures because the affected asset is often a core product or brand. Companies that do not obtain an express written IP assignment from contractors or employees risk discovering that a key piece of software, design, or content belongs to someone else. Similarly, granting an overly broad IP license can give a counterparty rights that far exceed what the deal intended.

Come gestirlo

• Include an express written assignment of all IP created under the contract: "agrees to assign" is not enough; use "hereby assigns".
• Define pre-existing IP (background IP) and confirm that the contractor keeps it but grants a license to use it in the deliverables.
• Tie the IP assignment to full payment: ownership transfers only when the client has paid, which incentivises timely payment.
• Check that any third-party components (open source, stock images) used in the deliverables are licensed in a way compatible with how the client wants to use them.

Riferimenti normativi

• Auteurswet (Aw) Dutch Copyright Act

Salvo diversa indicazione, i riferimenti riguardano il diritto olandese (Burgerlijk Wetboek, il Codice Civile olandese); gli strumenti UE come il GDPR si applicano in tutta l'UE. Si tratta di informazioni generali, non di consulenza legale. Altre giurisdizioni trattano questi concetti in modo diverso. Verifichi il testo vigente e la propria situazione con un avvocato qualificato.