The German Parliament starting ratification process on June 23

The German parliament will hold an initial consultation regarding the draft bill to adapt the patent law provisions for the Unified Patent Court and the Unitary Patent. This will be held in the evening of June 23 and is a first step in the ratification process, which is currently expected to be completed during the autumn of 2016.

The total number of states having ratified the Agreement is now ten states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Sweden. Bulgaria has also initiated the ratification process, and it is further expected that unless the UK votes for leaving the EU they will also ratify the UPCA during the autumn, which will not only bring the total number of states to the mandatory thirteen, but also include the three “top validation” states necessary for the UPCA to enter into force.

Want to know more about UP and UPC? Visit the new section on our website dedicated to this.