The unitary patent system will start on 1 June 2023
The unitary patent (UP) offers a new alternative alongside the European patent (EP) to protect inventions in Europe. The unitary patent system enables the patent holder to gain a patent valid in all the countries participating in the system at the same time. From 1 June 2023, there will be 17 EU member states in the system.
Unitary patents and classic European patents are granted by the European Patent Office (EPO).
New patent court (UPC)
The unitary patent system and Unified Patent Court (UPC) will begin operations simultaneously. In the future, the UPC will hear disputes over unitary patents and classic European patents – cases that are currently dealt with in national courts.
Holders of European patents have the option to file an opt-out
The unitary patent system will be preceded by a three-month sunrise period, which starts on 1 March 2023. During the period, holders of European patents will have the option to exclude their European patents from the scope of UPC litigation. In these situations, disputes will be litigated in the court of each country as they are today.
This opt-out requires a notification to the UPC. The notification can be filed only if no action has already been brought before the UPC in respect of the patent. This is why it is recommended to file any opt-outs before the UPC begins operations on 1 June 2023. You can, however, file an opt-out within seven years of the start of the UPC. Read more on the Unified Patent Court website about filing an opt-out.
See our useful links below for more information about the unitary patent and its effects:
Information about the unitary patent on the European Patent Office (EPO) website.
Unified Patent Court (UPC) website.Read more about the unitary patent and the Unified Patent Court on our website.
For further information, please contact:
Patent Advisory Service
advice.patents(a)prh.fi
Tel. +358 29 509 5858
Mon–Fri 9.00–15.00
About us
We work for the benefit of companies and organizations.
We register companies, associations, foundations and other organizations and corporations, as well as enterprise mortgages and LEI codes. We examine and grant patents and register utility models. We also register trademarks for products and services and provide design protection. We oversee and approve auditors and monitor foundations and the collective management of copyright.
We offer our customers advisory services and courses. We give information about companies, organizations, corporations and immaterial rights.
Our office is an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) for international PCT patent applications.
Our office comes under the administrative sector of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE), and we negotiate each year with the MEAE on our performance targets. Our office is subject to net budgeting, meaning that about 95% of our expenses are covered by the income we make from our services.
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