What is the Unified Patent Court (UPC)?

The Unified Patent Court is a court set up to adjudicate in particular on infringement and validity of both Unitary Patents and classic European patents in the participating member states of the European Union. The UPC aims to provide legal certainty and procedural efficiency across the territory. Given these aims, patentees will be ensured uniform, effective and efficient enforcement of their patents and so protect their investment in innovation. Likewise, defendants can be assured of a fair and uniform process across the territory. These factors enhance the attractiveness of Europe as a location for business and investment.

The UPC enters into force on June 1, 2023.

How does the UPC strengthen the competitiveness of European industry?

The UPC simplifies patent litigation across the participating member states of the European Union by establishing a single patent court for the whole of the territory. The complexity and associated cost of litigation in multiple states is thereby avoided. The UPC will enhance legal certainty by eliminating the risk of conflicting national decisions and by harmonizing the case law.  

The reduced complexity and cost of litigation will be particularly attractive for SMEs and start-ups, helping them to access the patent system to protect the fruits of their investments.

Moreover, the creation of a single patent enforcement landscape will enable the flow of technology across borders without the fear of differing enforcement regimes. This is will enhance the competiveness of European business.

The ability to expand markets and operations within the territory in the knowledge that the patent enforcement regime will now be the same is a real advantage of the UPC. This allows businesses to exploit better the rich variations in resources both natural and human across the territory.

In addition, the business friendly environment and certainty created by the UPC will also encourage international investment both in manufacturing and in research and development.

In summary, the UPC provides a uniform legal foundation for the enforcement of patent rights across the participating EU states. Within this simplified regime, business can innovate and prosper.

 

 

  • 统一专利法院：对UPC专属管辖权的豁免或“退出选择”

    统一专利法院：对UPC专属管辖权的豁免或“退出选择”

    一旦生效，统一专利法院（UPC）将对大部分专利诉讼（根据UPCA第32(1)条所定义的诉讼）拥有专属管辖权，这不仅适用于具有统一效力的欧洲专利，也适用于具有国家效力的欧洲专利。UPC的管辖范围在于在判决时已经批准UPCA的缔约成员国的领土范围内。 在UPCA生效后的7年过渡期内，可以选择在国家法院或UPC提起有关侵权或具有国家效力的欧洲专利无效的诉讼。该过渡期可另外延长7年。 此外，在这个过渡期间，对于具有国家效力的欧洲专利，将有可能从UPC的专属管辖权中退出——“选择退出”。在“选择退出”的情况下，在专利有效期内只有国家法院才具有管辖权。

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  • 统一专利法院：欧洲专利不会自动产生统一效力

    统一专利法院：欧洲专利不会自动产生统一效力

    如果欧洲专利所赋予的统一保护旨在使专利系统的使用更容易、更便宜及更有法律确定性的话，那么对于专利权人来说，最重要的是降低费用（单一年费）和减少手续。 统一专利法院协定（UPCA）的生效以及欧盟关于具有统一效力的欧洲专利的条例[1]的生效将于2023年6月1日开始。欧洲专利的专利权人和申请人需要采取什么措施以保护其获得具有统一效力的欧洲专利的机会呢？

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  • 统一专利法院：如何做出最佳的“选择退出”(opt-out)？

    统一专利法院：如何做出最佳的“选择退出”(opt-out)？

    针对具有国家效力的欧洲专利，放弃适用UPC管辖权的可能性通常称为“选择退出”。当欧洲专利或欧洲专利申请要求“选择退出”时，只有国家法院具有处理与该专利或申请相关的诉讼的管辖权。 因此，提出“选择退出”请求即可防止第三方在UPC对专利提起专利无效诉讼的风险。这避免了UPC针对在统一专利法院协定（UPCA）的所有缔约国的生效专利无效的风险。第三方因此将被迫在寻求专利无效的所有国家的每个国家法院提起专利无效诉讼。 然而，提出“选择退出”请求也意味着放弃在UPC或国家法院之间进行选择而提起侵权诉讼的可能性。

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  • 统一专利法院：“选择退出”(Opt-Out)请求的程序

    统一专利法院：“选择退出”(Opt-Out)请求的程序

    谁可以请求“选择退出”？ “选择退出”请求必须由欧洲专利或专利申请的实际持有人或其授权代表提出。此外，该程序并非必须委托欧洲专利律师。 对于多个专利权人或专利申请人的情况，“选择退出”请求必须由所有共同持有人一致同意或由授权的共同代表提出。为避免日后出现冲突情况，最好在专利共同所有权合同中加入与“选择退出”相关的条款。 如果在任何“选择退出”请求之前，已经针对专利颁发了补充保护证书，那么后续的“选择退出”请求必须由专利或补充保护证书的持有人共同提出。 就已授予许可（license）的专利或专利申请而言，被许可人不能提出“选择退出”请求。

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