Section
Unitary Patent Package - recorded online seminar
The Unitary Patent will supplement and strengthen the existing centralised European patent granting system and will make it possible to obtain uniform patent protection in up to 25 EU member states by submitting a single request to the EPO. It will offer users of the patent system a cost-effective option for patent protection and dispute settlement across Europe.
Watch here the recorded live session held on 05 April 2022 with Stefan Luginbuehl as speaker and download the presentation shown.
The Unitary Patent: practical aspects for patent attorneys and paralegals
In an online lecture on 13 May 2022, two experienced EPO lawyers focussed on practical aspects of Unitary Patents, addressing patent attorneys, paralegals and administrative staff.
Find below the material of the online session.
The Unitary Patent in EPO data tools (short videos)
The EPO’s Patent Knowledge Team have prepared the “Patent Knowledge Nuggets”, a series of detailed short videos describing specific features and explaining tricks and tips for our online data tools, like the European Patent Register and Espacenet. Not all of these videos relate to the Unitary Patent, but for those which do, a link to the video is placed here.
More videos will be produced once the Unitary Patent system begins.
European Patent Register – Searching for Unitary Patents and the results list (00:06:26)
Learn how to search in the European Patent Register for patents for which unitary effect has been requested or registered, using either Advanced search or Smart search, and explore the search results list.
Unitary Patent IT Workshops
On 7 and 8 April, the EPO held the first of two UPP IT workshops to inform users about the changes made to the existing IT infrastructure for the new UP system to make it easier for them in future to access and use the necessary tools and forms.
Find below the material of the workshop.
Recordings of the tools demos
On 23 and 25 May the EPO held a second Unitary Patent IT workshop which included a live demonstration of how to access and use the tools and forms required for the new Unitary Patent system.
Recordings of these demos can be found below.
Patent Data User Days
On 08 and 09 June 2022 the EPO held the EPO Patent Data User Days aimed at patent data specialists. The first day looked at the impact of the Unitary Patent on EPO bulk data sets and services and focused on latest information on Unitary Patent implementation from both legal and IT perspectives.
Find below the programme of the online event, as well as the material of the first day.
Unified Patent Court
Three experts with great knowledge of Europe’s new single court for patents have been interviewed by Stefan Luginbuehl (Head of Department European Legal Affairs, EPO, and Unitary Patent package expert). They explain the functioning of the Unified Patent Court, intended to come into operation on 1 April 2023.
Introduction to the UPC; timeline for introduction; opt-outs
Speaker: Kevin Mooney (UK)
Former Chair, drafting committee for UPC Rules of ProcedureUPC – structure, language and jurisdiction
Speaker: Klaus Grabinski
President of the Court of Appeal; UPCProceedings before the UPC
Speaker: Pierre Véron (FR)
Member, UPC Expert Panel Group and Drafting Committee Rules of Procedure
Patent Knowledge Week
One of the main topics of Patent Knowledge Week 2022 was the upcoming Unitary Patent. A dedicated block in the conference programme introduced the framework of the Unitary Patent, highlighted its economic impact and gave insight into the newly founded Unified Patent Court. These presentations were complemented by an overview on the Unitary Patent in the various EPO patent information tools and services and a panel discussion addressing the opportunities and challenges for SMEs.
The Unitary Patent: Facilitating access to patent protection with reduced complexity
Speaker: Michael Fröhlich, EPO
The economic impact of the Unitary Patent
Speaker: Yann Ménière, EPO
The Unified Patent Court
Speaker: Pierre-Louis Blerot, Centre des technologies de l'information de l'État
The Unitary Patent in the EPO's products, data and tools
Speakers: Yolanda Sánchez García, Vesna Vajsbaher, Nuria Nine, Sofie Leplae, all EPO
The Unitary Patent: opportunities and challenges for SMEs
Moderator: Gerard Owens, EPO
Panellists:
Stefan Luginbuehl, EPO
Joachim Fiedler, FIDLOCK GmbH
Véronique Willems, SMEunited
Klaus Haft, Hoyng Rokh Monegier
