Düsseldorf, 7 April 2015 – How can a corporate group sensibly bundle and utilize its intellectual property (IP) rights? One possible solution: transfer them to the parent company. However, the law firm Cohausz & Florack (C&F) believes that such a centralisation of intellectual property rights and the simultaneous decentral use by subsidiaries poses a major challenge: “IP rights always also have a material value. So if the development took place in a subsidiary but the corresponding rights were transferred to another part of the group, tax problems may arise”, explains Johannes Simons, patent attorney at C&F. “Many decision-makers are simply not aware of these risks“
In order to sharpen the understanding for handling IP rights within corporate groups, C&F is organizing a one-day intensive seminar together with the audit and tax consulting firm PKF Fasselt Schlage. In addition to fiscal basics and scope of discretion, the consequences of non-compliant action are addressed in the seminar. “The economic meaning of IP rights has also been recognized by the fiscal authorities of the federal states. These are affected on an international level by the standards of the OECD” says Kai Schöneberger, Partner at PKF Fasselt Schlage in Duisburg. “Especially corporate groups that want to transfer their IP rights abroad should therefore inform themselves well.“ The seminar programme also includes the following: basics of internal allocation, use and management of intellectual property rights. “This is where it is particularly important to systematically document all legal relations that exist between the companies and subsidiaries involved. Practical experience shows that there is still much catching up to do in this area”, explains Dr. Reinhard Fischer, attorney at C&F. Moreover, seminar participants are also introduced to the basics of how IP rights can be plausibly evaluated and compensated for. Recognized capital value-oriented procedures also play an important role here. The event is aimed at managing directors, departmental managers and other interested employees from tax, patent, or trademark departments in companies that are part of a corporate group.
The seminar “IP rights in corporate groups: allocation, evaluation, fiscal challenges” will be held
on May 7, 2015
at 9:30 am
in the offices of
COHAUSZ & FLORACK
Bleichstraße 14
40211 Düsseldorf
