The UPC: time to get Europe’s house in order

25-01-2022

Patrick Oliver

The UPC: time to get Europe’s house in order

Bubbers BB / Shutterstock.com

Judges at the incoming court must consider the threat posed by patent assertion entities, comments Patrick Oliver of patent owners’ coalition IP2Innovate.

With Austria signed up, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) agreement has now been ratified by the required 13 member countries. The dream of forging one single patent jurisdiction for Europe is on course to become a reality, after decades of uncertainty.

Barring any last-minute hiccups, the UPC should be up and running in the second half of 2022. This is great news because a unified patent regime will give a shot in the arm to European technology transfer and foreign direct investments in high tech industries.

It will increase legal certainty, reduce administrative burdens and potentially cut costs for applicants who file for patent protection in several European countries. That’s the upside.


Unified patent court, UPC, patent assertion entities, patent litigation, big tech

WIPR