Unified Patent Court in Munich shares its story
Dr Matthias Zigann, Presiding Judge of the Munich local Division of the Unified Patent Court (left) with Heli Pihlajamaa, Principal Director Patent Law and Procedures, EPO.
On 10 July Dr. Matthias Zigann (Presiding Judge) and his colleagues welcomed a delegation from the EPO to the premises of the Munich Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
The visit took place as part of the celebrations of the successful first year of the Unified Patent Court and provided an opportunity to reflect on the fruits of the shared labours over several years to make the UPC a reality. In the first 12 months of the new Unitary Patent system, over 30 000 requests for unitary effect had been filed at the Office, with about two thirds of requests coming from proprietors based in Europe. Much of the demand is driven by the attractiveness of the lower cost and timeliness of the enforcement procedures at the UPC.
During the visit, Presiding Judge Dr Zigann explained the history of the political negotiations leading to the creation of the Court and gave insights into its future, as well as the different objectives which drive its development. He highlighted the importance of co-operation between the Court, the EPO Boards of Appeal, the national courts, and the Court of Justice of the European Union. In his opinion, the Unified Patent Court is proof that EU co-operation, and international co-operation, work to boost the European economy.
