The introduction of the Unitary Patent (a single patent covering multiple countries) and the establishment of a new patent court, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) will affect holders of existing European Patents as well as those seeking new protection for inventions. Once established the Unified Patent Court (UPC) will serve as a new legal enforcement framework to underpin a new unitary patent system. Businesses will be able to apply to the European Patent Office for unitary patents which, if granted, would give patent protection for inventions across 25 countries.
For the new UPC system to take effect, at least 13 EU countries (including the three with the most European patents in effect in 2012 i.e. Germany, France and the UK), must pass national legislation to ratify the UPC Agreement that was finalised in 2013. France has already ratified the agreement whilst German ratification has moved closer in the country’s parliament.
In November 2016 the UK government confirmed that the UK will ratify the UPC Agreement but in 2017 there has been much talk and speculation about the new UPC system and whether it will remain on track or indeed whether the UK will continue to be involved. Firstly there was Brexit in 2016 which saw the UK vote to leave the European Union and then a UK general election scheduled for June 2017. All the legislation necessary to ratify the Agreement has still to be placed before the UK parliament. Officials Confirm UK’S UPC Ratification will Occur Post UK General Election and will not start back in earnest until September 2017 following the summer break. The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) said some work has already been undertaken towards UK ratification but it will be for “the next government” to complete “future steps”. This will push back the UPC coming into effect to at least mid 2018 when the new framework could become operational.
Source: http://bit.ly/2qdQsa8
