Unified Patent Court set to open within 12 months

The European patent landscape is set to change and become more streamlined for users of the system.

Certain provisions of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Agreement entered into force last week following the ratification by Austria of the Protocol on Provisional Application.

Within one month the UPC Adminstrative Committee will constitute itself and the real preparatory phase for the new Court will begin. The Court could open its doors and become operational in Q4/2022 or Q1/2023. This means that a single Unitary Patent, covering all European states signed up to the UP and UPC system, will be available alongside the traditional – and more costly and time-consuming – bundle of national patents.

Matthew Critten, Chair of CIPA’s Litigation Committee said:

‘It’s been said before, but the UPC is really happening this time. CIPA will highlight the benefits to UPC users of using UK patent attorneys, who are some of the best trained in the world.”

Date published: January 25, 2022