{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/copyright-designs-and-patents-act-1988/section-253A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/copyright-designs-and-patents-act-1988/section-253A.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1988/48",
  "legislation_title": "Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/copyright-designs-and-patents-act-1988",
  "path": "section/253A",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "253A",
  "heading": "Actionable threats",
  "text": "(1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5), a threat of infringement proceedings made by any person is actionable by any person aggrieved by the threat.\n(2) A threat of infringement proceedings is not actionable if the infringement is alleged to consist of—\n(a) making an article for disposal, or\n(b) importing an article for disposal.\n(3) A threat of infringement proceedings is not actionable if the infringement is alleged to consist of an act which, if done, would constitute an infringement of a kind mentioned in subsection (2)(a) or (b).\n(4) A threat of infringement proceedings is not actionable if the threat—\n(a) is made to a person who has done, or intends to do, an act mentioned in subsection (2)(a) or (b) in relation to an article, and\n(b) is a threat of proceedings for an infringement alleged to consist of doing anything else in relation to that article.\n(5) A threat of infringement proceedings which is not an express threat is not actionable if it is contained in a permitted communication.\n(6) In sections 253C and 253D an “actionable threat” means a threat of infringement proceedings that is actionable in accordance with this section.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 253 253 and crossheading substituted for (1.10.2017) by Intellectual Property (Unjustified Threats) Act 2017 (c. 14), ss. 5(2), 8 (with art. 7(4)); S.I. 2017/771, reg. 2(1)(b) (with reg. 3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/253A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:47:40.311838+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}