Data processing refers to any operation performed in relation to personal or non-personal data, whether it involves collection, recording, organisation, storage, modification, consultation, dissemination, or deletion, for exploitation, analysis, or enhancement. In terms of intellectual property, data processing encompasses the management, protection, and exploitation of strategic information, creations, patents, designs, and protected databases.
Databases protected by sui generis law (Articles L.341-1 to L.342-6 of the French Code of Intellectual Property) fall within the scope of data processing, as their organisation and exploitation confer exclusive rights on their producer.
Data processing may include technology and competitive intelligence, intellectual property rights management, and the exploitation of intangible assets.
When data is personal, it must be processed in accordance with applicable regulations, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Data processing is therefore a strategic tool for securing and effectively exploiting intangible assets and protecting the associated rights.