Germany has ratified the Unified Patent Court (UPC) agreement, marking a significant milestone in the establishment of a unified patent system across Europe. This decision has been long-awaited by patent professionals, as it paves the way for the implementation of a single European patent system, which is expected to simplify and reduce the costs of patent protection across Europe.

The ratification of the UPC agreement was announced on February 17th, 2023, by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection of Germany. The ratification by Germany was a crucial step towards the establishment of the UPC, which has been under development for several years.

The UPC is an international court that will have jurisdiction over disputes relating to European patents, including the infringement and validity of such patents. The UPC system will provide a single set of rules and procedures for the enforcement and protection of patents, making it easier for patent holders to protect their intellectual property rights across Europe. The establishment of the UPC system will also have important implications for patent litigation, as it will streamline the litigation process and provide a specialized court with the necessary expertise to handle patent disputes.

Germany's ratification of the UPC agreement triggers the start of the so-called sunrise period on March 1, and the going live of the UPC on June 1, 2023. During the sunrise period, preparatory actions can be taken, like opting our your granted European patents from the jurisdiction of the UPC, as already announced in our earlier newsletters.

Do not hesitate to contact a DenK iP patent attorney if you need assistance. Check our Q&A page for the answer on all your UPC questions!

Inventors are not always stage animals. They most often are intelligent and handy people, looking for some space to quietly work.
But did you know that, even if you are trying to find a place to hide, you might get famous by “simply” inventing something?

People might remember your name, such as in the cases of Johannes Gutenberg (printing press), Thomas Edison (lightbulb), Alexander Graham Bell (Telephone) or Steve Jobs (iPhone).
You can give your name to your invention such as the Heimlich manoeuvre (Henry Judah Heimlich), the jacuzzi (the Jacuzzi brothers), the saxophone (Adolphe Sax) or braille (Louis Braille).
Or, of course, your product can really make it in the world, like liquid soap, the bra, the smartphone or Post-it® memos.

We wish you an innovative year 2023, the start of you becoming famous! Hopefully we can mention in one of our future newsletters that we are proud to have been involved in the protection of the famous YOUR NAME 😊.

Continuing our yearly tradition:
discussing IP prospects over breakfast in theme clothing around Christmas!

We are greatful to be able to support our clients for many years in a row.
Looking forward to continue innovating together and building a strong future!

We are very proud to announce that DenK iP is now a registered service provider for SME e-wallet (KMO-portefeuille).

Our patent experts are providing different types of advice that can (partially) be funded by KMOP, e.g. patentability advice, advice with respect to infringement, nullity advice.

Please feel free to contact us to find out all possibilities. VLAIO's website provides information on how to request said funding and what terms and conditions apply.