The UK Intellectual Poperty Minister, Baroness Neville-Rolfe, has announced that the UK will join the European Unified Patent Court (UPC), despite the Brexit. Moreover the IP Minister said that during the next months Great Britain will undertake the necessary steps for the ratifying process and together with the Preparatory Comittee of the UPC will carry out the necessary tasks in order for the new Patent Court to start its work as soon as possible.
The announcement was quite surprising, as after the Brexit the UK was expected to step out of the EU Patent System. Two Central Divisions of the UPC will be in Munich and London respectively, additional local divions will be situated in Mannheim, Düsseldorf, Milan and Stockholm, while the court of appeal will be in Luxembourg. The new Patent System will have to accept rulings from the European Court of Justice.
As this declaration has already given rise to many speculations regarding the Brexit approach, Baroness Newille-Rolfe has stated that it is not to be regarded as a sign of wihdrawal negotiations regarding the Brexit.
We are curious to see how the prepratory proceedings will continue and looking forward for the UPC to start its work.
For more information: https://www.unified-patent-court.org/
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