Seminar | EU & Competition

Agency and Distribution Agreements: Managing Competition and IP Law Risks in the EU
Wednesday 23rd April 2008
at at 10 Queen Street Place, London, EC4R 1BE

Companies doing business in the EU are frequently faced with Competition and IP law challenges in managing their relationships with agents and distributors. Once a third party is involved there are limits on the extent to which a supplier can protect its brand and in particular to control/influence to whom, how and where its products are sold. These legal challenges are most acute when product is sold online. This seminar will explore ways of managing the Competition and IP law risks of using third parties to penetrate markets, including the issues raised by internet selling.

Chair: 
Ralph Cohen
Partner,
EU & Competition and Managing Partner,
SJ Berwin LLP

Speakers:
Niamh Grogan
Partner,
EU & Competition,
SJ Berwin LLP

Natasha Gloria Assadi
Associate,
EU & Competition Paris,
SJ Berwin LLP

Paul Cox
Associate,
Intellectual Property,
SJ Berwin LLP
 
Timetable:
16.30 Registration
17.00 Introduction - Ralph Cohen
17.10 Review of the Competition Rules on Agency and Distribution
17.35 The Best Route to Market: Agency vs. Distribution?
What level of control influence can you have on
•  pricing
•  customers targeted
•  territory
•  channels used
18.00 Resale on the Internet: Agent vs. Selective Distributor vs. Distributor not Part of a Selective Distribution Network
•  How to limit sales on the web (no general ban but strict conditions possible in selective distribution systems)?
•  Can pricing and discounting be different depending on the resale medium (bricks and mortar vs. web)?
18.30 How to Protect Suppliers' Brands on the Web (IP vs. competition case law)
•  Parallel imports - what restrictions to place on EEA and non-EEA distributors?
•  Registration and use of domain names and trade marks
•  Registration and use of adwords/key words
•  Responsibility for enforcement of rights including action against counterfeiting
•  Non challenge clauses 
 
Training:
SJ Berwin is accredited as a provider of continuing professional development by the Law Society and other professional bodies. Attendance at each seminar qualifies as 1 CPD hour, quoting reference 012/SJBE.

RSVP:
By email to candice.ingram@sjberwin.com including in the message your name and organisation or alternatively by fax on 020 7111 2000. Colleagues are welcome to come with you or in your place, but please let us know if that is the case. 

Directions:
The seminar is taking place at our office at 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE. Please click here to view a map. The nearest tube stations are Cannon Street and Mansion House.
 
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