Signing of the Unified Patent Court Agreement

On February 19, 2013, the International Agreement for Establishing a Unified Patent Court was signed. To come into force, the Unified Patent Court Agreement must be ratified by at least 13 of the contracting European Union member states including France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The Court of the First Instance has a central division which will be located in Paris and which has specialized sections in London and Munich. If all necessary decisions are adopted in a timely manner, the first registration of a European patent with the unitary effect may take place in spring 2014.