The Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) go live on 1 June 2023, when the UPC Agreement (UPCA) enters into force.
Germany ratified the UPCA on 17 February 2023, satisfying the conditions for the UPCA to enter into force on 1 June 2023.
The start of the Sunrise Period is thus 1 March 2023.
The European Patent Office (EPO) already allows requests for unitary effect (i.e. for a UP) to be filed as of 1 January 2023. The first UPs will be granted on 7 June 2023.
More information on the UP and UPC.
Talk to us:
European patent proprietors will need to make and implement key decisions relating to the UP and UPC. If you would like to discuss these decisions, please contact your normal Appleyard Lees advisor, or Julia Gwilt, Kate Hickinson or Howard Read.
