London, Leeds & Exeter
Sun 1st Apr 2018
UK Ratifies the Unified Patent Court Agreement
Services: International reach, Patents
Sectors: Life sciences and health
The UK has ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement, an international treaty which provides for a single judgment on patent disputes across all the states which have signed up to it.
‘Some businesses may benefit significantly from the single court’ says European patent attorney Kelda Style, ‘as it will remove the requirement to assert rights before the court system of each participating state.’
Intellectual Property Minister, Sam Gyimah MP commented that ‘Ratification of this important Agreement demonstrates that internationally, as well as at home, the UK is committed to strong intellectual property protections. This will help to foster innovation and creativity, bringing our modern and ambitious Industrial Strategy to life.’
Meanwhile, the unique nature of the proposed court means that the UK’s future relationship with the Unified Patent Court may continue even after we leave the EU.
The UK’s ratification brings the international court one step closer to reality. For the court to come into being, only ratification by Germany is now required. This is currently being considered by the German Courts.
This briefing is for general information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice relating to your particular circumstances. We can discuss specific issues and facts on an individual basis. Please note that the law may have changed since the day this was first published in April 2018.
