2023-02-17:

Today, February 17, 2023, Germany finished its job as a Gatekeeper for the new European Court and Patent System and ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA). This confirms that the Agreement will enter into force on the 1st of June 2023. This date will hence be the date for the start of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the Unitary Patent (UP).

The entry into force of this new system is a significant change to the current patent system in Europe providing new advantages and challenges to European patent proprietors and applicants.The sunrise period is set to begin on the 1st of March 2023 from which date early opt-outs from the Court can be made.

Brann’s European Patent Litigators are ready on March 1 to help its clients during the sunrise period and beyond.

More information can be found here.