ΠΕΡΙΓΡΑΦΗ

A practical programme designed to help professionals make confident and commercially sound decisions on software protection in today's technology-driven environment. As software, AI, and digital technologies become increasingly valuable business assets, understanding how to protect them is more important than ever. This practical training programme provides a clear and accessible overview of software patentability under European law, helping participants understand when software may qualify for patent protection and when alternative forms of protection, such as copyright or trade secrets, may be more appropriate. 

Through practical examples, key case law, and real-world scenarios, participants will learn how to assess software-related intellectual property strategies, identify legal risks, and make commercially informed decisions. Designed for lawyers, in-house counsel, compliance professionals, company directors, corporate administrators, and professionals working with technology businesses and start-ups, the programme equips participants with practical knowledge that can be immediately applied in today's innovation-driven environment.

ΣΕ ΠΟΙΟΥΣ ΑΠΕΥΘΥΝΕΤΑΙ

This course is suitable for:

• Directors of software companies
• Lawyers
• Compliance professionals
• In house legal counsel
• Corporate administrators,
• Professionals workingwith tech start-ups, software developers and IP companies

ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΕΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΕΣ

Course content

_{Module 1: What counts as “software” in real transactions • How software appears in practice:}

How software appears in practice:

• SaaS products
• AI tools
• Embedded systems

How protection decisions are actually made:

• Patent vs copyright vs trade secret

Article 52 EPC translated into:

• A step-by-step assessment framework
• Identifying immediate red flags

Participants assess:

• A mobile application
• An AI-driven tool
• Embedded software in a device

Outcome: Decide whether to pursue patent protection or not, with justification._‍

_{MODULE 2: Applying Case Law to Real Scenarios}

Technical character as a decision threshold

“Further technical effect” in practice:

• What works
• What fails

How to distinguish:

• Non-patentable software
• Patentable computer-implemented inventions

• Case law as a tool for advising clients, not just interpretation

• Legal uncertainty and interpretative challenges

Case workshop:

• Analysis of judicial reasoning
• Application to hypothetical scenarios

_{MODULE 3 – Policy Debate and Reform}

Arguments against software patents:

• Market monopolisation
• Patent thickets
• Barriers to innovation

Arguments in favour:

• Protection of algorithms
• Incentivising investment
• Supporting startups

Alternative protection mechanisms:

• Copyright (limitations)
• Trade secrets (risks and weaknesses)
• Hybrid approaches

Reform proposals:

• Clarification of Article 52 EPC
• Potential EU legislative intervention

Structured debate:

•“Software patents promote innovation”

• Group evaluation of reform proposals

• How software appears in practice:

- SaaS products

- AI tools

- Embedded systems

• How protection decisions are actually made:

- Patent vs copyright vs trade secret

• Article 52 EPC translated into:

- A step-by-step assessment framework

- Identifying immediate red flags

• Participants assess:

- A mobile application

- An AI-driven tool

- Embedded software in a device

Outcome: decide whether to pursue patent protection or not, with justification

Trainer: Eleni Chatzoglou