Press release -
When is a trade secret not a trade secret? When it is revealed at a European Parliament exhibition
For the first time ever, a full fragrance formula will be published and given out to visitors along with the fragrance at an exhibition in the European Parliament from January 31st to February 2nd 2012.
This fragrance has been created by Christophe Laudamiel, a world renowned perfumer, especially for the exhibition ‘A Sense of Europe’. Christophe has some of the world’s biggest selling fine fragrances to his name such as Abercrombie & Fitch’s Fierce and Ralph Lauren’s Polo Blue.
This will be a unique opportunity to actually contemplate a genuine full fragrance formula. Formulae have traditionally been a closely guarded secret and are an important piece of intellectual property for the fragrance industry.
A fragrance formula cannot be patented and copyrighting is rarely sufficient and therefore the fragrance industry relies heavily on Trade Secrets to protect its most valuable intellectual property, the formula.
Incentives to innovate, particularly within the European Union, have been weakened not only by piracy in Asia and other rapidly developing economies, but also by inconsistent trade secret protection offered by EU Member States’ legislation in this area.
We are publishing this formula as a one-off in order to show the high level of creative artistry and know-how that goes into creating a fragrance giving it its beauty and value. Europe happens to be one the most recognized cradles of creative perfumery and ingredient expertise worldwide. Its heritage deserves to be protected and its innovative know-how further unleashed.
The European Union has an extraordinary concentration of industries for which trade secrets are essential to compete successfully. The fragrance industry is one and would like to see an appropriate place for trade secrets within the European Union’s intellectual property regime.
Find out more about how fragrances in all sorts of consumer products define our times every bit as much as fashion, or music, or film and how they mark our shared history every bit as much as architecture, or sport, or politics.
The IFRA exhibition in the European Parliament - A Sense of Europe - celebrates specific moments of change in European history and brings them to life through a unique combination of olfactory and visual stimuli.
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The International Fragrance Association, founded in 1973, represents the interests of the fragrance industry worldwide. IFRA comprises seven multinational Regular Members and 21 national associations in four global regions representing hundreds of small and medium-sized fragrance ingredient manufacturers, as well as supporting members. Its mission is to promote the safe use of fragrance for everyone’s enjoyment.
Fragrances are a key platform technology used by consumer goods companies – for fine fragrances, personal care products, household care and more.
IFRA’s flagship safe use program, the IFRA Standards, applies safety management measures based on scientific assessment and the evaluations of an independent Expert Panel. The program is at the heart of the IFRA Code of Practice, which applies to all IFRA members globally, including members of IFRA’s 21 national associations. The Code also requires members to abide by local, national and international regulation, and to apply good manufacturing practices.
