Protective cover sheet comprising a UV-absorbing layer for a polarizer plate and method of making the same

A guarded cover sheet composite comprising a carrier substrate and a multilayer protective cover sheet comprising a low birefringence protective polymer film having in-plane birefringence, Δnin of less than 1×10 −4 and an out-of-plane birefringence Δnth of 0.005 to −0.005 and, in addition, one or more functional layers, which layers are either adjacent or non-adjacent to each other, wherein the one or more functional layers comprise at least an adhesion-promoting layer, for adhering a poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing film to the low birefringence protective polymer film, which the adhesion-promoting layer is on the same side of the carrier substrate as the low birefringence protective polymer film, wherein at least one of the one or more functional layers is a UV-absorbing layer comprising a UV-absorbing polymer, and wherein optionally the UV-absorbing layer and the adhesion-promoting layer can be one and the same functional layer;

• and wherein the one or more functional layers do not comprise a polarizing film.