A practical guide to the unitary patent and Unified Patent Court

As of 1 June 2023, organisations can benefit from the new unitary patent and Unified Patent Court system in Europe. We set out the answers to some frequently asked questions about this new European patent right in our updated white paper 'The Unitary Patent: A practical guide'.

After much dispute, discussion and delay, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) officially opened its doors on 1 June 2023. In this white paper, we answer some frequently asked questions about the new unitary patent (UP) right and new Europe-wide patent court system.

'The Unitary Patent: A practical guide' answers the following key questions:

• What is the unitary patent?
• What are the scope and limitations of the new right?
• How does the Unified Patent Court (UPC) system work?
• What is the jurisdiction of the UPC?
• When did the unitary patent enter into force?
• What is the geographical coverage of the unitary patent?
• How do I apply for a unitary patent?
• What translations are needed?
• How will the renewal/annuity process work?
• Who can represent me before the EPO for procedures relating to the unitary patent?
• How can I opt-out from the jurisdiction of the UPC?
• What strategy should I adopt?

Download the white paper now to read answers to all these questions, as well as our 10 headlines for patent owners about the unitary patent and Unified Patent Court.

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