On 2 May 2012 the Court of Justice of the European Union handed down its decision in SAS Institute Inc. v World Programming Ltd in which it provided helpful guidance on which aspects of a computer program may be protected by copyright. This decision largely upheld what was understood to be the law in the UK as regards how the "look and feel" and functionality of a computer program or website may (or may not) be protected, or indeed emulated. For more detail on this decision and its implications for IP owners and software developers please see our specific client alert.