Inauguration of PMAC in Slovenia

EPO President Campinos speaking at the PMAC inauguration ceremony

On 2 June 2026, EPO President António Campinos joined judges, representatives of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), policymakers and European patent professionals for the inauguration ceremony of the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) in Slovenia.  

​Hosted at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ljubljana, the event marked the official inauguration of the PMAC, after the launch of its initial services on 12 May 2026. Being an integral part of the UPC, the centre completes the broader European patent architecture established with the Unitary Patent system.  

​A unique centre for resolving complex technology disputes in Europe 

​Speaking at the event, President Campinos highlighted the PMAC’s crucial importance as a venue for resolving complex international technology disputes, including over Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing.  

​The launch of the centre, he said, enables the UPC to become "a one-stop shop for global patent disputes, bringing together litigation, mediation and arbitration within one European framework. That is what makes the PMAC unique. It is part and parcel of the Unified Patent Court and its trusted structures, procedures and tools.” 

​He also spoke about the importance of building on users’ trust in the quality and reliability of the Unitary Patent system, underlining that the EPO remains committed to supporting the PMAC as the institution grows. 

​Further distinguished speakers at the event included President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union Koen Lenaerts, and President of the Court of Appeal of the UPC Klaus Grabinski.  

​Three years of the Unitary Patent system  

The timing of the event coincided with the third anniversary of the Unitary Patent and the UPC. Since the system was launched, it has seen strong uptake with over 95 000 requests for unitary effect received by the EPO, and approximately one third of all granted European patents now becoming Unitary Patents. Patent owners from Europe account for around 60% of all requests and some 42% of these owners are SMEs. The popularity of the system, among applicants both large and small, underlines the quality and value of European patents and the attractiveness of Unitary Patents, which offer uniform protection across 18 EU Member States at a cost broadly comparable to validating a conventional European patent in just four major countries.  

​More on the PMAC  

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods, such as mediation and arbitration, enable parties to have their disputes heard by impartial experts in confidential settings and avoid adversarial litigation in the courts. ADR can help reach a solution by mutual consent rather than parties having a trial judgement imposed on them. UPC judges can encourage parties to pursue ADR as a first course of action when appropriate. With seats in Ljubljana and Lisbon, the PMAC offers mediation and arbitration services, as well as a “hybrid Med-Arb procedure.” It also offers expert determinations and additional provisions developed specifically for disputes pertaining to licences with FRAND terms and to SEPs. The PMAC complements the UPC, administering resolution of disputes over those patents that fall within the jurisdiction of the UPC and related disputes.