The current go-live date for the Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) is 1 June 2023. For this date to hold Germany must complete the ratification process during February 2023.
What effect will the UPC have on my European patent?
The UPC will allow granted European patents to be enforced or challenged centrally and for a single ruling to be given that applies across multiple EU countries. The UPC will become available as an alternative forum to national courts for matters relating to European patent rights in the participating EU countries, and once proceedings have been started before the UPC the patent is “locked in” to that forum.
What should I now be considering?
If owners do not wish their patents to be centrally vulnerable under the UPC they need to take action to opt out before the system goes live.
If owners may be interested in making use of the UP they need to consider requesting a delay of grant of their application so that it is still pending at the go-live date.
Opting out
It is important to note that not opting out of the UPC does not have any impact on the immediate status of your patent. Not opting out simply means that any court action involving the patent can take place before the UPC for those states covered by the UPC and will still take place before national courts for any other states covered by the patent.
Having validated a European patent only in states not covered by the UPC does not mean the UPC will have no jurisdiction over the patent. The states to be considered in relation to whether the UPC has jurisdiction are all of those covered by the patent at grant and these will generally include at least France and Germany. For example, if a patent was validated in the UK and Norway, but covered France at grant, then the UPC would have jurisdiction over the French part of the patent but not the UK and Norway. This means a third party could begin a “test run” case before the UPC to try out their arguments but the decision would only be applicable to the UPC states, not the UK and Norway.
Vilka är goda skäl för att välja bort detta?
- Du vill inte att ditt patent ska vara sårbart på central nivå under hela sin giltighetstid; när invändningsfristen vid EPO har löpt ut vill du tvinga eventuella motståndare att angripa patentet land för land.
- Du är orolig för att kostnaderna för en rättegång vid UPC sannolikt kommer att bli högre än kostnaderna för en rättegång vid en nationell domstol.
- You don’t want your patent to be challenged in a court that is not yet tried and tested; greater predictability is important to you.
- I fall där det föreligger komplexa ägar- eller licensförhållanden som involverar flera parter, vilket innebär att det är svårt att samordna en enda central åtgärd, eller där det är önskvärt att låta parterna samordna sina åtgärder vid sina egna nationella domstolar.
- Villkoren i licensavtalen för patentet innebär att en central attack skulle kunna få allvarliga negativa konsekvenser för licensintäkterna.
- You want to make it more difficult for a competitor to “clear the way” for launching a product across multiple EU countries or to block their use of the UPC as a “test run” forum.
- Du vill behålla det nuvarande läget.
Vilka är de goda skälen för att stanna kvar i UPC-systemet?
- Du överväger att väcka talan om intrång i flera EU-länder, och därför är möjligheten att erhålla ett paneuropeiskt avgörande och föreläggande värdefull för dig.
- You perceive that there is national case law or precedent that might be adverse to your case (whether in terms of infringement or validity) and therefore you would value the fresh start offered by the UPC system.
- You are keen to be involved in the early days of a new system so that you can help shape how it evolves.
- Man vill avskräcka potentiella intrångsgörare genom att tydliggöra att det finns möjlighet till ett paneuropeiskt förbudsföreläggande och skadestånd.
- Man räknar inte med att ens patent ska ifrågasättas och vill inte ta itu med det administrativa arbete som är förknippat med att välja bort detta.
- Du har andra immateriella rättigheter, t.ex. en pågående europeisk avdelningsansökan eller beviljade nationella rättigheter, som du anser skyddar din ställning tillräckligt även om det skulle komma en central attack.
What do I need to register an opt out for a European patent?
Under the opt out rules, we can only opt out a European patent if we have the authorisation to do so from the current legal owner and we have their name and address, irrespective of whether they are the owner of record at the EPO and/or at the local patent offices where the European patent was validated.
If there are multiple owners, we need agreement from them all, as well as their name and address details. If there are granted Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs), the owners of these rights also need to authorise the opt out and we need their name and address details.
If there are licensees, we do not directly need their consent or details, but the terms of the license may dictate that they need to be consulted or may even dictate what the decision is on opting out.
When and how can I register my decision to opt out?
Working from the suggested go live date of 1 June 2023, there will be a sunrise period of three months before this date, so starting on 1 March 2023, during which opt outs can be filed.
Once Germany completes the ratification process, therefore finally setting the go-live date and start of the sunrise period, if we are the European patent attorneys of record, we will be contacting you in relation to all granted EPO patents if you were our instructing contact at the time of grant in relation to whether an opt out is needed.
We will provide schedules of all such granted patents, grouped by the patent owner according to our records, but can only attend to an opt out if we receive positive instructions to do so including confirmation that all owners agree and their name and address details.
As the sunrise period is relatively short and the opt requirements are onerous, please consider now what planning is needed to allow you to provide instructions within the three-month window, including authorisations and name and address details for the required interested parties, or alternatively that you will be able to assist us in reaching the correct contact person for instructions.
Delaying grant
If your application has not yet had a Communication under R71(3) EPC issued, or if your application has an outstanding Communication under R71(3) EPC, we can now request that the date of grant is delayed until on or after the go-live date of the UP/UPC, so that you have the option of proceeding with a UP.
This does not tie you into having to proceed with a UP but simply delays grant so that you can make that choice.
Proceeding with a UP does however mean that you cannot opt out of the UPC for that patent.
If you would like to discuss your UP and UPC options, please contact the authors Lucy Trueman or Yvonne Johnson, or your usual Barker Brettell attorney.
“If owners do not wish their patents to be centrally vulnerable under the UPC they need to take action to opt out before the system goes live.”
