Bulgaria

UPC

Yes

UPC

Yes 

Status of ratification

Yes. Bulgaria deposited their instrument for ratification on 3 June 2016.

Local or Regional CFI

Still not confirmed, although it is unlikely to establish a local division. According to the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council, there is an agreement currently under discussion for establishment of a regional division for the Balkans based in Romania. At this stage the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council supports such a regional division but no final position has been taken.

Location/Venue of CFI

No official confirmation but there are indications that the regional CFI may be based in Romania.

Judges

On 22.10.2019 the Supreme Judicial Council appointed two judges to the UPC (one to the Consultative Committee and one to the other committees of the UPC). On 27.02.2020 the Council of Ministers appointed the Chairman of the Bulgarian Patent Office to represent Bulgaria in the Administrative and Budget Committees of the UPC.

Languages 

No information as yet.

UP/UPC implementing legislation

On 2 August 2017, the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria approved the text of the Protocol on Provisional Application of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court

Other UP matters of interest

Bulgaria signed the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities (PPI) in July 2017 and the UPC Agreement's Protocol on provisional application (PPA) on 11 September 2017, which was subsequently ratified on 24 July 2018.

*Information for this country provided by Elina Ruseva and Philip Kiossev of Tsvetkova Bebov Partners, Sofia.