Publications, press articles, rankings, awards
Since October 1st, 2025 the EPO accepts coloured drawings
As it may be already known, the European Patent Office (EPO) has changed the formal rules in order to accept coloured or greyscale drawings.
New referral G 1/25 to the Enlarged Board of Appeal concerning the necessity of adapting the description to amended claims
In case T 0697/22, the Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.02 has referred the following legal questions to the Enlarged Board of Appeal:
Effective withdrawal of an opt-out when national proceedings are pending
Court of Appeal Decision of the UPC of 11-12 2024 AIM SPORT DEVELOPMENT AG vs SUPPONOR
Change of practice in access to patent literature documents
Notice from the European Patent Office dated 2 July 2024 concerning a change of practice in access to patent literature documents cited in search and examination proceedings.
Acceleration of opposition proceedings in cases of parallel court actions
The EPO will accelerate the processing of oppositions if it is informed of parallel infringement or revocation proceedings before the Unified Patent Court or a national court or competent authority of a contracting state.
Substantial increase of official fees in Canada and Argentina
Patent fees will increase up to 36% in Canada as from January 1st, 2024.
UPC and opt-out: definition, advantages and drawbacks
The present system of European (EP) patents granted by the European Patent Office, has the drawback that the same patent, validated in several states, may lead to several parallel disputes in these jurisdictions. The Unified Patent package creates a unitary effect for European patents encompassing the states that have ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA – to be found here). That is to say, an EP patent with unitary effect will have the same effects in all the states that ratified the UPCA and where said patent has been validated. It also creates a single court (the Unified Patent
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The protocol on the provisional application of the UPC agreement
The Protocol to the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court on provisional application (the PAP-Protocol) was initially signed on 1st October 2015 to establish a Phase of Provisional Application (PAP) to ensure « a smooth transition into the operational phase and ensure the proper functioning of the Unified Patent Court before the entry into force of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court ». This text is pivotal in the UPC for the practical preparation that is required to run the Court but also in terms of timing for anticipating the actual date of implementation of the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA).
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The german federal government officially ratified the UPC act of approval on august 13th
The publication of the law in the Federal Law Gazette finally puts an end to the legal complications that have been blocking the german ratification process and, consequently, the establishment of the Unified Patent Court (UPC). But this does not mean that the UPC can finally start to operate. Before the UPC can actually open its doors, the period of the preparatory phase must begin. Germany intends to ratify the Protocol on Provisional Application in early autumn. According to this Protocol, some parts of the UPC Agreement will be provisionally applied before it becomes fully effective. In order for
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