EU trade secrets directive threat to free speech, health, environment and worker mobility

The document is a statement from a coalition of civil society organizations opposing a proposed EU directive on trade secrets. The coalition argues that the directive's broad definition of trade secrets and inadequate safeguards would hinder the work of journalists and whistleblowers, restrict the mobility of professional workers, and allow companies in the health, environment, and food safety sectors to withhold critical public interest data. Specifically, it highlights risks to patient safety in pharmaceuticals, the violation of the Aarhus Convention regarding environmental emissions, and the lack of transparency in EFSA food safety assessments. The coalition also warns that similar protections being lobbied for in the US could be integrated into the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), potentially setting a restrictive global standard.

• The coalition opposes the proposed EU directive on trade secrets due to an "unreasonably broad definition" of what constitutes a trade secret, far-reaching legal remedies for companies, and insufficient safeguards for the public interest.
• The directive is seen as a threat to freedom of expression and information because it requires journalists and whistleblowers to prove that the disclosure of a trade secret was "necessary for such revelation" and acted in the public interest, which the coalition argues is often only evaluable after the fact.
• The proposal could restrict the professional and geographical mobility of EU workers by creating "lock-in effects," where employees avoid new jobs in their field to avoid liability for damages related to the use of their own skills and competences.
• In the health and environment sectors, the directive could be used to block access to critical data: pharmaceutical companies might hide clinical development data essential for patient safety, and companies might refuse to disclose information on emissions or hazardous products, potentially violating the United Nations Aarhus Convention.
• The coalition warns that lobbying by the Trade Secrets Coalition in the EU and US could lead to trade secret protections being included in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which could establish a "devastating" global standard.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2015). EU trade secrets directive threat to free speech, health, environment and worker mobility. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Revised-statement-on-trade-secrets-directive_final-23-March-2015.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. EU trade secrets directive threat to free speech, health, environment and worker mobility. 2015. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Revised-statement-on-trade-secrets-directive_final-23-March-2015.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=EU trade secrets directive threat to free speech, health, environment and worker mobility |date=23 March 2015 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Revised-statement-on-trade-secrets-directive_final-23-March-2015.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2015trade, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{EU trade secrets directive threat to free speech, health, environment and worker mobility}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Revised-statement-on-trade-secrets-directive_final-23-March-2015.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }