Patents
Germany ratifies UPCA
February 17, 2023
It’s confirmed: the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) will come into force on 1 June 2023.
Germany’s Ministry of Justice has confirmed that it has ratified the UPCA. This means that we now have confirmation that, from 1 June, it will be possible to obtain unitary patents and take action in the Unified Patent Court.
You don’t have to wait that long to get started with the new court, though: it’s already possible to request a unitary patent in advance. This means your unitary patent would be one of the first to come into effect in June. In addition, if you don’t want to take part in the new court, from 1 March it will be possible to opt-out any existing patents and published applications.
If you’d like more information about the Unified Patent package, or some guidance on how to manage your existing portfolio in light of the new changes, get in touch with the attorney responsible for your cases and they will be happy to discuss it with you.
Elizabeth O'Leary
Associate