The Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court

The Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) came into operation on 1 June 2023.

This represents the biggest change to patent law in Europe for 50 years: it creates a single approach to patent registration and litigation across up to 24 European Member States (currently 18 participating Member States), with a combined population of approximately 400 million.

The introduction of the new system makes establishing patent protection across Europe easier and more effective, facilitating the protection of innovations and inventions. It also makes it possible to challenge patents and to obtain rulings preventing the distribution of goods and the use of patented processes across all the participating Member States. If you’re operating in Europe and the protection and exploitation of intellectual property is a strategic priority, it’s crucial to understand what the impact of the new Unitary Patent system involves and to factor that in to any existing or new patent strategy you may be developing for your European operations.

If you need support or want to review your existing strategy, we’re here to help. Within our international patent practice, we have created a specialist UPC team. Their role is to help you navigate the new landscape effectively, which will enable you to continue to protect your intellectual property in this new environment. We’re also based on the ground in every major jurisdiction where a division of the UPC is located.

For any further information, please get in touch with your usual Bird & Bird contact or any member of our UPC team, found on this page, or follow us @twobirdsIP / Bird & Bird LinkedIn for breaking news and commentary.

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Practitioners Guide to the UPC 1st Edition

Helping you navigate the practice and procedure of the Unified Patent Court and Unitary Patent.

View and download the book

The Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court

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Relevant Downloads

Title
Type
Date
Link
Quick Guide: The UP & the UPC
PDF
Mar 01 2024
The UPC - The Essentials
PDF
Mar 01 2024
The UPC - The Opt Out Guide
PDF
Mar 01 2024
UPC Implementation Roadmap 2022
PDF
Oct 11 2022
The Unified Patent Court Webinar - Complete Presentation Jan 2022
PDF
Jan 27 2022
UPC Agreement
PDF
Aug 03 2022
Rules of Procedure (German Version)
PDF
Sep 13 2022
Rules of Procedure (French Version)
PDF
Sep 13 2022
Unitary Patent Regulation (EN)
PDF
Sep 13 2022
Rules of Procedure (English Version)
PDF
Sep 13 2022

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Accolades

"As one of the largest teams in Europe, Bird & Bird has the manpower necessary to handle multiple complex UPC cases at the same time”

JUVE 2024

Its impressive reputation in high-stakes litigation and high-value deals has made Bird & Bird a go-to name for industry heavyweights across the globe. “The team always has a great understanding of what the client needs, and they dispense excellent guidance that will achieve their goals.”

IAM Patent 2024