UK decides to ratify Unified Patent Court Agreement

Yesterday 28 November, at a meeting of the EU’s Competitiveness Council, the UK’s Intellectual Property Minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe announced that the UK Government intends to ratify the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court.

The UK Intellectual Property Office has published an official announcement{target=_blank} confirming that the UK intends to start preparations for the ratification of the Agreement for the establishment of the Unitary Patent Court as soon as possible.

This announcement opens the way for the Unitary Patent system to enter into operation in 2017. For the Unitary Patent system to enter into force, at least thirteen member states shall ratify the Agreement on the UPC, including France, Germany and the UK. Currently, eleven countries (including France) have ratified the Agreement. Should UK and Germany ratify in the near future, the UPC and Unitary Patent could become a reality next year.