Another step forward for the Unified Patent Court
9 October 2015
On Thursday 1 October 2015, seven EU Member States, including the UK, France and Germany, signed the Protocol to the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPC) on provisional application. This Protocol allows for the implementing of IT systems and recruitment of judges as well as other key provisions which must be completed before the UPC can officially open. Several other Member States have agreed to sign the Protocol as soon as possible, or be unilaterally bound by it.
The signing of the Protocol is yet another step towards the implementation of the UPC, and gives more hope that preparations will be complete for the UPC to open in 2016, following the eventual ratification of the UPC Agreement by thirteen Member States.
The full Protocol can be found here, and a statement from the EPO, and EPO President Benoît Battistelli, can be found here.
This publication is a general summary of the law. It should not replace legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
© Withers & Rogers LLP, October 2015
