European patents

Unified Patent Court

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is part of the European unitary patent system that provides uniform protection across all participating countries. It was established by the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) 2013 and is used by those EU member states who are signatories to the Agreement. Court judgments are given on the site, along the text of the UPCA and the court's Rules of Procedure. The site can be viewed in English, French and German

Unitary Patent System

This part of the European Commission website outlines the unitary patent system which was launched in June 2023. The unitary patent provides uniform protection across EU countries who are signatories to the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPC) with the Court providing a single, specialised patent jurisdiction. There is a guide to the unified system, official texts, including the Agreement on the Unified Patent Court, and other background documents.

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