What is the Unified Patent Court?

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is an international court common to all contracting states party to the UPC Agreement (UPCA) and thus part of their judicial system. It provides simplified, quicker and more efficient judicial procedures with high-quality decisions issued by panels comprising both legally and technically qualified judges sitting in an international composition. It has exclusive competence for the settlement of disputes in respect of both conventional European patents and Unitary Patents. This exclusive competence is however subject to exceptions with regard to European patents: cases may still be brought before national courts, and proprietors of European patents may opt out from the UPC's exclusive competence during a transitional period of seven years, which may be prolonged by up to a further seven years.

The UPC also has exclusive jurisdiction over actions brought against decisions of the EPO in carrying out the tasks referred to in Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012 on the Unitary Patent system (see Article 32(1)(i) UPCA).

The UPC's rulings have effect throughout the territories of those Member States that have already ratified the UPCA (the contracting Member States) at the time they are issued. The UPC does not have any jurisdiction over national patents.

More information on the UPC is available on the UPC website.