Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
Last updated: April 2025
A better patent system for Europe
The Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court are the building blocks which supplement and strengthen the existing centralised European patent granting system. They offer users a cost-effective option for patent protection and dispute settlement across Europe.
Unitary Patent
Unitary Patents make it possible to get patent protection in up to 18 EU Member States by submitting a single request to the EPO, making the procedure simpler and more cost effective for applicants.
Unified Patent Court
The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is an international court set up by participating EU Member States to deal with the infringement and validity of both Unitary Patents and European patents, putting an end to costly parallel litigation and enhancing legal certainty.
Learn more about the UPC FAQUPC website
Unitary Patent dashboard
This overview of requests for unitary effect and registrations of Unitary Patents is updated daily. Our interactive display (in English only) breaks down requests by technology, language and proprietors’ profile.
Introductory brochures
Basic information about the Unitary Patent system – its economic impact and how it fits into the existing European patent framework.
Ask.UP
Mini web-series where we clarify the most common questions about the Unitary Patent
Materials & recordings
Access presentations and videos from previous events
Welcoming the Unitary Patent System: A new era for innovation in Europe Webinars with UPC expertsUnitary Patent information in patent knowledge (videos) PODCAST Unitary Patent: impact and insights (June 2024)Events & training
Register for forthcoming seminars and courses
8.4.2025 Unitary Patent protection legal events in INPADOC: detailed event code descriptions, statistics and latest additions Training
European Patent Litigation Certificate
Updates
New EPO study and dataset reveal clear link between standards and patents, as Unified Patent Court set to become dispute forum of choice
Constructive dialogue draws on valuable feedback from the latest round of public consultation
Patent quality, AI, the Unitary Patent and international co-operation high on the agenda
Exchanges on the Unitary Patent, European competitiveness and how patent intelligence informs policymaking
Feedback on EPC, PCT-EPO and UP Guidelines can still be filed until 7 April
EPO President António Campinos has appeared on the latest episode of IP Fridays, a podcast on developments in the IP world, released today.
Explore the latest patenting trends in the Patent Index 2024
Applicants exchange on quality, timeliness and the Unitary Patent