Fifty years of waiting and hesitation for one of the major and strategic parts of the European economy. Last week, the Unified Patent Court (UPC), Europe's first supranational court, was launched in Paris. It has sole jurisdiction over patent litigation for companies and will therefore rule "on disputes between private parties".
Three years ago, Europe agreed to create a decentralised European Public Prosecutor's Office in all signatory countries, with a bridgehead in Luxembourg but trial hearings in each of the Member States concerned. For the first time in the history of Europe, a full and independent court of the 17 signatory Member States is being created.
Every year, 190,000 patents are filed in Munich, before the European Patent Office, which has managed them since its creation in 1973. Unless it is specified restrictively, this deposit is now valid and mandatory for the 17 signatory countries...
This article is for subscribers only. You still have 76% to discover.
Want to read more?
Unblock all items immediately.
TEST FOR 0,99€
Already a subscriber? Log
