After years of uncertainty, both the Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) could be live from as early as October 2022. 

All existing granted EP patents and pending EP applications will be impacted by the new systems. This means that all proprietors will need to make strategic decisions in relation to their EP patent portfolio over the next few months.

Appleyard Lees will run two workshops in March 2022 discussing how to prepare for the centralisation of patent enforcement and revocation in Europe. The workshops will include an introduction to the key features of the UP and UPC systems followed by roundtable discussions using scenarios to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the new systems and whether to opt out. 

On Tuesday 22 March, join us in Cambridge for a workshop led by Bobby Smithson, Julia Gwilt and Kate Hickinson of Appleyard Lees, and Tim Harris of Osbourne Clarke. On Tuesday 29 March, join us in Manchester for a workshop led by Bobby Smithson and Kate Hickinson. 

If you have any questions please email your Appleyard Lees contact, or communications@appleyardlees.com