What You Need to Know About the Unified Patent Court and Unitary Patent
As has been widely reported in the recent weeks, the UK government is currently trying to progress negotiations on a withdrawal agreement and a framework for its future relationship with the EU. However, uncertainty remains...more
The Guide begins with an overview of the concept of the Unitary Patent. It explains that this is an alternative to the existing options of national patents granted by national patent offices and national validations of...more
The Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom (UK)—together with the Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property and Prime Minister May—issued a press release on Nov. 28 confirming that the country will...more
As we have reported previously, it had been thought that the UK’s vote on June 23, 2016 to leave the European Union would delay the commencement of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the introduction of the unitary patent....more
The EU’s Unitary Patent Convention and the associated EU patent had originally been expected to come into effect in 2017. This was, however dependent on ratification of the agreement by thirteen EU countries of which three...more
The UK Government yesterday announced that its plans to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement (“UPCA”) will not be derailed by Brexit. The UK Minister of State for Intellectual Property, Baroness Neville Rolfe, made the...more
On June 23, 2016, British citizens voted in a referendum in favor of exiting the European Union. Termed “Brexit,” the United Kingdom’s departure effected global markets and caused the British pound to fall to its lowest level...more
As everyone knows, in June, the United Kingdom passed the BREXIT referendum (driven by British voters), voting to exit the European Union. What affect does BREXIT have on intellectual property rights in the United Kingdom...more
Unitary patents in Europe - The European unitary patent and Unitary Patent Court (UPC) are slated to go into effect in early 2017. These monumental changes will have a significant impact on the ways patent rights are...more
New unified patent grant and patent court systems, which were to have taken effect in early 2017, will likely be stalled because of Britain’s June vote to leave the EU, commentators and member nations fear. BACKGROUND...more
Voters in the United Kingdom have voted to leave the European Union (EU). The exit of the UK from the EU (the "Brexit") could result in a delay in the implementation of the Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court...more
In Depth - UK Withdrawal Process - The United Kingdom will continue to be an EU member until procedures are completed for exiting the European Union, which is likely to be a long process. Under EU Treaty rules,...more
The future of the proposed European Unified Patent Court and European Unitary Patent have been jeopardized by the Brexit vote because ratification of the proposal by the United Kingdom is expressly required before the...more
A British vote to leave the European Union (EU)—the Brexit referendum issue scheduled for a vote June 23, 2016 — would have a significant effect on intellectual property right-holders, such as manufacturers doing business in...more
Regardless of the June 23, 2016 vote on Brexit, all owners of European patents, and all applicants seeking patents in Europe, will have both new options, and a new set of important decisions to make. Most commentators...more