In a knowledge-based economy, the protection of intellectual property is often of existential importance to businesses.

With Brexit impending, the protection of such rights across Europe has come into focus and the European Union has come up with its ideas about what should happen.

In essence, very little in the way of change is envisaged, as one would expect. The proposed arrangements will provide for pre- and post-Brexit EU trade marks to be effective in the UK and Europe as they are now.