New EU patent court system
20 February 2013
The majority of EU member
states have signed the
final agreement required to create a new EU patent
system. This represents the
most dramatic change in the European patent landscape for 40
years.
The proposals mean that you will be able
to obtain a new European Patent with Unitary
Effect across all participating member states. There will also be a new Unified Patent Court to hear all
infringement and revocation cases concerning Unitary Patents. There
are a number of motive forces aimed mainly at reducing the cost of acquiring patents
in Europe and
the complexity involved.
This creates a patent environment similar to
the US which has a similar market
size. Nevertheless, there will be a time of
uncertainty for businesses
in the short term as
we start to see how the system works in practice.
Businesses need be considering how
they might benefit from these fundamental changes
, and how to address new risks that
the new regime may bring. If this issue
affects you, or you'd like to find out more please get in touch
with our patent specialist solicitors
David Knight,
Beatriz San Martin or
Mark Hodgson.