1. The Unified Patent Court
Jochen Herr
21 April 2013

2. European Bundle Patent
A Bundle of
National
Patents

3. Duration of Proceedings (case on the merits)
In Months, First Instance
Pat. Court Munich
Mannheim
Düsseldorf
London
Paris
Infringement Only Validity Only Infringement & Validity

4. Epilady: Improver v. Remington
Apparatus for removing hair
Patent claim
(Metal spring)
Patent not infringed
Patent infringed
Alleged infringement
(Rubber roller)

5. Patent Infringement Proceedings in EU (1st Instance)
Quelle: JUVE-Survey 2010

6. Why a European Patent Court?
Uniform Jurisprudence
Legal Certainty
Cost Savings
Simplified Enforcement

7. Participating States
In February 2013, 25 member states of the European Union signed the “Agreement on the Unified Patent Court”.

8. Legal Basis Patent Regulation Translation Regime Court Agreement
Rules of Procedure (Draft)

9. Existing EP vs. EU-Patent with Unitary Effect
Examination
Opposition
Coverage
Assignment
Licensing
Revocation
Infringement
Existing EP
Central
38 States (+2)
National
EU-Patent
25 EU-States
Unitary
Uniform

10. Unified Patent Court Court of Appeal Local Divisions Central Division
Regional Divisions
Registry
CJEU

11. Multinational Composition of the Courts
Local Divisions
States with <50 Cases per Year
National
1 §
European
Pool
2 §
Optional
Technical 1
States with >50 Cases per Year
Central Division
Regional Divisions

12. Order of Proceedings Counterclaim for revocation Infringement
Validity and Infringement

13. Proceedings at First Instance
Written Briefs
Interim Hearing (Rapporteur)
Main Trial
Target: Total Duration about 1 Year

14. Transitional Arrangements
Earliest Start Date 1 January 2014
Transitional Period (7-14 Years)
Coexistence
National Courts
Unified Patents Court
Opt-Out Possible
End of Transitional Period 31 December 2020 (earliest)

15. Strategy Opt-Out? (only for Existing EP) Unified Patents Court
For: Remain within Existing System
Against: Action before National Court prevents action before UPC
Opt-Out?
(only for Existing EP)
Costs
Which Division? Forum Shopping
Multinational Court  Multinational Patent Litigation Teams
Unified Patents Court

16. Composition of the Courts
Open Questions
Ratification
Conformity with EU law
Who will be the Judges?
Composition of the Courts
Quality of Decisions
Costs

17. International Patent Litigation European Patents Court
Where do we go from here?
Entry into force 2014/2015
International Patent Litigation European Patents Court
National Courts: future relevance?