UPC – What is the Unitary Patent System?
The Unitary Patent system (UP) introduces a simplified and cost-effective way to obtain and maintain patent protection across much of the European Union. It addresses the challenges of the traditional European patent system by reducing complexity, cutting costs, and centralizing litigation through the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Services:
From Classic Validation to a Unitary Patent
Under the European Patent Convention (EPC), European Patents (EP) are granted via a centralized procedure through the European Patent Office (EPO), covering 39 EPC countries. However, after grant, patent holders must validate the EP patent separately in each country where protection is sought. This classic validation process involves national fees, translations, and annual renewal fees in each country, making it costly and administratively heavy — especially for wide European coverage.
The Goal of the Unitary Patent System
To overcome these challenges, 25 EU Member States initiated the Unitary Patent system, providing:
- A European Patent with unitary effect across participating countries
- A single renewal fee payable to the EPO
- Central post-grant administration (validation, renewals, licensing, transfers)
- Uniform protection across all participating states, reducing costs and complexity
- Litigation before a single court, the Unified Patent Court (UPC), streamlining enforcement and dispute resolution
Key Benefits at a Glance
- Simplified, centralized validation process
- Significant cost savings over classic validations in multiple countries
- One annual fee instead of many
- Streamlined litigation with EU-wide effect
- Uniform protection in 18+ EU countries — covering up to 80% of EU GDP
