Romania joins the Unitary Patent System

On 31 May 2024, the Government of Romania (RO) deposited its instrument of ratification of the UPCA, which will take effect on 1 September 2024.

A Unitary Patent covers the territories of those participating Member States in which the UPCA has taken effect at the date of registration of unitary effect by the EPO. Hence, Unitary Patents registered as of the date of 1 September 2024 will cover the territory of 18 Member States.

The EPO has now announced that it will accept requests for a delay of the registration of unitary effect, in order to allow proprietors to benefit from the enlarged territorial scope covering Romania.

This is a welcome initiative that will make sense for most proprietors.

It is reminded that the request for unitary effect (with translation of the entire patent) must be filed with the EPO no later than one month after publication of the mention of grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin.

Philippe Ocvirk | European patent attorney | UPC Representative

Système du brevet unitaire – 1 an déjà

Système du brevet unitaire – 1 an déjà

Le 1er juin 2023 démarrait le système du brevet unitaire. Après un an, on peut considérer que c’est un succès.

Brevet unitaire

L’Office européen des brevets a opéré une introduction sans failles de ce nouveau titre, qui confère une protection uniforme dans 17 Pays européens.

A ce jour,  28 179 brevets européens à effet unitaire ont été délivrés (1). Cela représente un taux de conversion de l’ordre de 20%. C’est à dire qu’un brevet européen délivré sur cinq est converti en brevet unitaire, plutôt que d’être validé dans les états membres.

Ce sont principalement les entreprises européennes (64%) qui utilisent le brevet unitaire.  

Le 1er septembre 2024, la Roumanie rejoindra le système, portant le nombre d’Etats membres participants à 18.

La Juridiction unifiée du brevet – UPC

La JUB est bien occupée. Le nouveau tribunal a compétence exclusive – pour les états participants – pour l’ensemble des brevets européens (unitaires et validés – sauf opt-out des brevets validés), permettant de régler des conflits à l’échelle européenne en une seule procédure. 

A son premier anniversaire, le tribunal avait reçu 373 affaires (2), parmi lesquelles:

  • 134 actions en contrefaçon de brevet, dont la majorité devant les Divisions Locales allemandes,
  • 165 demandes reconventionnelles en nullité
  • 39 actions en nullité de brevet devant la Division Centrale 
  •  32 actions visant à obtenir des mesures provisoires et conservatoires et des injonctions

La Cour d’Appel, basée à Luxembourg, a quant à elle reçu environ 85 affaires.

L’effet d’harmonisation de la jurisprudence de la JUB  est crucial pour établir la sécurité juridique et la transparence au sein du nouveau système, et offre aux utilisateurs la prédictibilité dont ils ont besoin pour leurs activités économiques.

(1) EPO UP Dashboard – https://www.epo.org/en/about-us/statistics/statistics-centre#/unitary-patent

(2) Case load UPC – https://www.unified-patent-court.org/sites/default/files/upc_documents/Case%20load%20of%20the%20Court_end%20May%202024_final.pdf

Philippe OCVIRK | European patent attorney | UPC Representative

Eenheetspatent-Package

Eenheetspatent-Package

Europäesch Patenter si strategesch Tools fir innovativ Firmen: si hëllefen hir technologesch Entwécklunge souwéi hir Maartundeeler ze schützen, Investitiounen unzezéien a Partnerschaften anzegoen.

Bis haut si méi wéi 22.000 europäesch Patenter als Eenheetspatent erdeelt ginn, dorënner 34% vu PMEen.

Zënter sengem Akraafttrieden den 1. Juni 2023, ergänzt a stäerkt d‘europäescht Eenheetspatent („Europäescht Patent mat eenheetlecher Wierkung“) den existente zentraliséierte System fir europäesch Patenter. Zesumme mam eenheetleche Patentgeriicht (EPG), bitt et fir d‘Notzer eng käschteneffizient Optioun fir de Patentschutz an d‘Sträitschlichtung an Europa.

Zéckt net eis Patentequipe ze kontaktéiere fir all Froen zum Thema zum Eenheetspatent a méi allgemeng zum Schutz vum intellektuellen Eegentum.

Liest och hei d’Brochure vum Europäesche Patentamt zum Thema:

https://e-courses.epo.org/pluginfile.php/194229/mod_label/intro/UP-1920x1080px-Flyer-B-users-LUX-R01-SEO.pdf

BU/JUB Report de la date de début de la Sunrise Period

Le 6 Octobre 2022, le comité préparatoire de la Juridiction Unifiée du Brevet avait partagé avec enthousiasme leur roadmap de mise en oeuvre de l’accord relatif à une Juridiction Unifiée du Brevet (JUB). Celle-ci prévoyait initialement la dernière ratification de l’accord JUB au mois de Décembre 2022, définissant ainsi la date d’entrée en vigueur de l’accord JUB au 1er Avril 2023 et la date de début de la Sunrise Period au 1er Janvier 2023.

Malheureusement, afin d’accorder suffisamment de temps aux utilisateurs pour se préparer au nouveau système (et notamment pour mettre en place les clefs d’authentification requises pour accéder au « Case Management System »),la JUB a annoncé ce jour que le début de la Sunrise Period sera reporté au 1er Mars 2023.

En conséquence, la date d’entrée en vigueur de l’accord JUB et la date d’application des règlements instituant le Brevet européen à effet unitaire seront reportées au 1er Juin 2023.

La date de début des mesures transitoires du Brevet Unitaire semble inchangée. Selon notre compréhension, il serait alors possible de déposer une demande d’effet unitaire anticipée et une requête en report de la décision de délivrer le brevet européen dès le 1er Janvier 2023.

Sources:

https://www.unified-patent-court.org/en/news/adjustment-timeline-start-sunrise-period-1-march-2023

https://www.epo.org/applying/european/unitary/unitary-patent/transitional-arrangements-for-early-uptake_fr.html

UPC ahead!

UPC ahead!

Following Austria’s ratification with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, the  Protocol on Provisional Application of the UPC Agreement has entered into force today, 19 January 2022.

As announced by the UPC Preparatory Committe (here):

This event marks the start of the Provisional Application Period (PAP) and the birth of the Unified Patent Court as an international organisation.

More information coming soon.

Philippe OCVIRK

Unitary patent package – almost there?

The German Federal Government deposited on 27 September Germany’s instrument of ratification of the Protocol on the Provisional Application (PPA) of the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA).

This is a decisive step on the way to the establishment of the Unitary Patent package, which consists of the new European unitary patent (granted by the EPO) and the setting up of the Unified Patent Court.

The provisional application is required to establish the legal capacity and organizational capability of the UPC. During the PAP phase, the governing bodies of the Court will be assembled, budget and IT systems as well as finalization of the recruitment of the judges of the Court. The Preparatory Committee foresees that approximately eight months will be required to conclude all the work that needs to be done during the PAP.

Germany’s ratification of the PPA comes after several years of doubt, during the examination of the Agreement by the German Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). Following the decision of the FCC published in July this year the German law for the ratification of the UPCA and its Protocols was signed by the President and published in August allowing Germany now to proceed with ratification.

Germany’s ratification enables the PPA to come into force (and therefore the provisional application period to start) as soon as two more countries ratify the PPA or otherwise consent to be bound by the provisional application of certain UPCA provisions.

One of those countries is very likely to be Slovenia (which is hosting in Ljubljana one of the seats of the UPC Mediation and Arbitration Centre). Slovenia’s legislation ratifying the PPA came into force on 24 September 2021 when it was published in Slovenia’s Official Gazette although the Council of the EU has not yet recorded the deposit of the instrument of ratification.

Austria is also expected to ratify the PPA shortly.

Further signs of activity on this topic:

–       An overview of the state of play for entry into effect of the unitary patent package was due to be addressed during the Competitiveness council on 29 September 2021;

–       The Select Committee (dealing with the Unitary  patent) of the EPO Administrative Council will meet on 14 October 2021.

Alexander Ramsay, Chair of the UPC, estimates that the UPC will start operations around mid-2022.

Philippe Ocvirk

UK to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement

Today at the EU’s Competitiveness Council meeting in Brussels, the UK announced that it is proceeding with preparations to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement.
This puts an end to the uncertainty period that started with the Brexit vote back in June this year.

The Unified Patent Court will be competent for classic European patents and have exclusive jurisdiction for the new European patent with unitary effect (Unitary Patent).
The Unitary Patent is an EU wide patent that can be requested at the grant stage of the conventional European patent. The Unitary Patent Court will permit EU-wide enforcement of European patents, making them more valuable.

Ratification by 13 countries is required for the new system to start, including France, Germany and the United-Kingdom. Today, 11 countries have ratified (AT, BE, BG, DK, FI, FR, LU, MT, NL, PT, SE), and 4 are ready to ratify – including the UK. Germany is reportedly ready for ratification.

With this good news, entry into force of the Unitary Patent system may again be expected in 2017.

Philippe Ocvirk

Luxembourg approves the Unified Patent Court Agreement

On 18 March 2015, the Luxembourg Parliament approved the Agreement on the Unified Patent Court (UPC). Upon signature by the Grand Duke and ratification, Luxembourg will join the 6 EU states that are already formally in the game (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Malta and Sweden).

The creation of the Unified Patent Court is a major evolution for patent enforcement. It will be competent for infringement and nullity actions for both classical European Patents and European Patents with unitary effect. A patentee will thus be able to enforce his rights in all the member States though a single court action.

Luxembourg is in the heart of the new system: the Court of Appeal of the UPC and the Courts’ Registry will be located in Luxembourg. Of course, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is also located in Luxembourg, and will have the final say on any points of European law referred by the Unified Patent Court.

Furthermore, Luxembourg is centrally located between the Paris and Munich sections of the Central Division of the UPC, and the Munich and The Hague offices of the European Patent Office.

Philippe OCVIRK