When is a Trade Secret Not a Trade Secret? When it is Revealed at a European Parliament Exhibition

BRUSSELS, January 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

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 31^st to February 2^nd 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.

There will be a press conference at:
Press Room PHS00B001
Henri Spaak Building
Rue Wiertz (press entrance on Rue Vautier)
31^st January 2012
17:00hrs
The press conference will be followed by an opening cocktail for the exhibition at:
"Espace Distribution", 3rd Floor, ASP building
31^st January 2012
18.00h
Please RSVP Online before 16 January
http://www.a-sense-of-europe.eu

Notes to Editors:

The International Fragrance Association promotes the enjoyment of fragrances. It was founded in 1973 and is based in Brussels.

It comprises the various national and regional associations of the fragrance industry whose members include fragrance ingredient and compound manufacturers and suppliers, together with the multinational fragrance companies Fermenich, Givaudan, IFF, Robertet, Symrise and Takasago International.

The fragrance industry has an annual global turnover of 10 billion euro and directly employs some 35,000 people. 50% of its business is in fragrance compositions for personal care products, 25% in household care and 25% in fine fragrances.

The European Union accounts for 37% of the industry's sales. It is its largest market and generates an additional 150 billion euros of downstream activity.

The industry invests 10% of its annual turnover on research and development.

For further information, please contact Stephen Weller at sweller@ifraorg.org.