The EU Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court · The Unitary Patent (2) • Protection in one step...
Transcript of The EU Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court · The Unitary Patent (2) • Protection in one step...
The
EU U
nita
ry P
aten
t &
Uni
fied
Pate
nt C
ourt
John
B. P
egra
mFi
sh &
Ric
hard
son
P.C
.
The
curr
ent E
urop
ean
Pate
nt S
yste
m
•S
ucce
ssfu
l cen
tralis
ed E
urop
ean
Pat
ent g
rant
ing
at th
e E
urop
ean
Pat
ent O
ffice
sin
ce 1
977
(nea
rly 4
0 ye
ars)
–In
clud
es b
oth
Eur
opea
n U
nion
s st
ates
and
oth
ers
•e.g.
, Sw
itzer
land
& T
urke
y–
Res
ult i
s a
“bun
dle”
of n
atio
nal p
aten
ts in
sta
tes
desi
gnat
ed b
y th
e ap
plic
ant f
or v
alid
atio
n
2
Som
e sh
ort c
omin
gs o
f the
cur
rent
Eu
rope
an P
aten
t Sys
tem
•H
igh
cost
s of
val
idat
ion
in n
atio
nal p
aten
t offi
ces
–pu
blic
atio
n fe
es,
–at
torn
eys
fees
and
–tra
nsla
tion
cost
s •
Tran
slat
ion
cost
s si
gnifi
cant
ly re
duce
d si
nce
the
entry
into
forc
e of
the
Lond
on A
gree
men
t. •
Ren
ewal
cos
ts.
•E
ach
natio
nal p
art m
ust b
e se
para
tely
enf
orce
d in
na
tiona
l cou
rts.
3
The
Maj
or O
bsta
cles
to a
Sin
gle
Pate
nt &
a
Sing
le P
aten
t Cou
rt•
Lang
uage
–N
atio
nal p
ride
•S
pain
, in
parti
cula
r, w
ants
to e
xpan
d us
e of
its
lang
uage
in th
e E
U.
•P
aten
t Atto
rney
s w
ere
com
forta
ble
with
exi
stin
g:–
Tran
slat
ion
busi
ness
–R
enew
al b
usin
ess
–N
atio
nal c
ourt
litig
atio
n•
Cou
rt of
Jus
tice
of th
e E
urop
ean
Uni
on (C
JEU
)–
Per
mitt
ed a
sin
gle
EU
pat
ent a
nd s
ingl
e E
U c
ourt
–Th
e C
JEU
bar
red
incl
udin
g ot
her s
tate
s.
4
The
EU P
aten
t Pac
kage
-----
Two
EU R
egul
atio
ns a
nd a
new
Tre
aty
Sig
natu
re o
f the
UP
Reg
ulat
ions
by
the
Pre
side
nts
of th
e E
urop
ean
Par
liam
ent a
nd th
e C
ounc
il on
17
Dec
embe
r 201
2
Sig
natu
re o
f the
UP
C A
gree
men
t by
Rep
rese
ntat
ives
of
Par
ticip
atin
g E
U S
tate
s on
19
Feb
ruar
y 20
135
The
Pack
age
Solu
tion
by “
Enha
nced
Coo
pera
tion”
Reg
ulat
ion
(EU
) No.
12
57/2
012
impl
emen
ting
enha
nced
coo
pera
tion
to
crea
te u
nita
ry p
aten
t pr
otec
tion
in p
artic
ipat
ing
stat
es.
Reg
ulat
ion
(EU
) No.
12
60/2
012
impl
emen
ting
enha
nced
coo
pera
tion
with
re
gard
to th
e ap
plic
able
, re
duce
d tr
ansl
atio
n re
quire
men
ts.
Uni
fied
Pate
nt C
ourt
A
gree
men
t (U
PCA
),a
new
trea
ty a
mon
g m
ost
EU
mem
ber s
tate
s.
(Non
-EU
sta
tes
cann
ot
parti
cipa
te).
Uni
tary
pat
ent
(UP)
Uni
fied
Pate
nt
Cou
rt (U
PC)
6
The
EU P
aten
t Pac
kage
•R
atifi
catio
nof
the
UP
CA
by
a m
inim
um o
f 13
EU
sta
tes,
in
clud
ing
Fran
ce, G
erm
any
and
the
UK
, will
trigg
er b
oth
open
ing
of th
e U
PC
and
gra
nt o
f UP
s, o
n th
e 1s
tda
y of
th
e 4t
hm
onth
afte
r min
imum
ratif
icat
ion.
•St
atus
:–
Nin
e st
ates
, inc
ludi
ng F
ranc
e, h
ave
ratif
ied,
–
UK
Par
liam
ent h
as p
asse
d th
e ne
cess
ary
legi
slat
ion
•B
RE
XIT
vot
e on
Jun
e 23
rd.
–G
erm
any
has
nece
ssar
y le
gisl
atio
n in
pro
gres
s•
Ger
man
ratif
icat
ion
expe
cted
in la
te 2
016.
–A
t lea
st tw
o ot
her s
tate
s ex
pect
ed to
ratif
y be
fore
G
erm
any
–P
roje
cted
ope
ning
–M
arch
201
77
Uni
tary
Pat
ent
8
Pate
nt A
ltern
ativ
es in
the
EU
9
The
unita
ry p
aten
t & th
e EP
O m
embe
r sta
tes
Uni
tary
pat
ent s
tate
s (p
oten
tial)
Aus
tria
• Bel
gium
• B
ulga
ria •
Cyp
rus
Cze
ch R
epub
lic• D
enm
ark
• Est
onia
Fi
nlan
d • F
ranc
e• G
erm
any
Gre
ece
•Hun
gary
• Ire
land
• Ita
ly
Latv
ia •
Lith
uani
a • L
uxem
bour
gM
alta
•Net
herla
nds
• P
olan
dP
ortu
gal•
Rom
ania
• Slo
vaki
aS
love
nia
•Sw
eden
• Uni
ted
Kin
gdom
Oth
er E
PO m
embe
r sta
tes
Spa
in• I
cela
nd •
Sw
itzer
land
N
orw
ay •
Turk
ey •
Mon
aco
San
Mar
ino
•Lie
chte
nste
in•C
roat
iaS
erbi
a•A
lban
ia• F
orm
er Y
ugos
lav
Rep
ublic
of M
aced
onia
10
The
Uni
tary
Pat
ent (
1)•
The
Uni
tary
Pat
ent (
form
ally
a "E
urop
ean
Pat
ent
with
uni
tary
effe
ct“)
is–
a E
P g
rant
ed b
y th
e E
PO
und
er th
e E
PC
's
exis
ting
rule
s an
d pr
oced
ures
, (no
thin
g w
ill ch
ange
dur
ing
the
pre-
gran
t pro
cedu
re)
•A
fter g
rant
by
the
EP
O, t
he E
P a
pplic
ant c
an e
lect
to
eith
er: •V
alid
ate
the
EP
as
a U
nita
ry P
aten
t for
all
stat
es p
artic
ipat
ing
at th
at ti
me,
and
sel
ect
conv
entio
nal E
P p
arts
for o
ther
EP
O s
tate
s; o
r
•V
alid
ate
the
EP
as
indi
vidu
al n
atio
nal p
arts
, in
acco
rdan
ce w
ith th
e pr
esen
t sys
tem
. 11
The
Uni
tary
Pat
ent (
2)
•P
rote
ctio
n in
one
ste
p fo
r par
ticip
atin
g m
embe
r sta
tes
–O
nly
for t
hose
sta
tes
that
hav
e ra
tifie
d th
e U
PC
at t
he
time
of g
rant
by
the
EP
O
•U
nifo
rm li
tigat
ion
syst
em e
nsur
ing
grea
ter l
egal
cer
tain
ty
–A
Uni
tary
Pat
ent
can
be li
tigat
ed o
nly
in th
e U
PC
•Th
ere
will
be n
o of
ficia
l fee
for v
alid
atio
n as
a U
P.
•Tr
ansl
atio
n of
the
full
pate
nt in
to o
ne o
ther
lang
uage
will
be re
quire
d du
ring
a tra
nsiti
onal
per
iod
of 7
to 1
4 ye
ars.
•
Cen
tral o
wne
rshi
p an
d as
sign
men
t rec
ords
will
be
mai
ntai
ned
by th
e E
PO
.12
The
Uni
tary
Pat
ent (
3)
•R
enew
al fe
es h
ave
been
set
by
a S
elec
t Com
mitt
ee o
f th
e E
PO
and
pay
able
to th
e E
PO
–Th
e fe
e sc
hedu
le a
ppro
xim
ates
the
sum
of r
enew
al
fees
eac
h ye
ar in
Fra
nce,
Ger
man
y, th
e N
ethe
rland
s an
d th
e U
K.
–P
artic
ipat
ing
stat
es w
ill re
ceiv
e 50
% o
f the
se fe
es.
•P
rinci
pal i
ssue
s ar
e:
–Fe
ar o
f cen
tral a
ttack
•Li
kely
to s
ubsi
de, a
s it
did
whe
n th
e E
PO
was
es
tabl
ishe
d–
Cos
t-ben
efit
anal
ysis
•N
ot to
day’
s to
pic
13
Uni
tary
Pat
ent
Prep
arat
ions
•S
elec
t Com
mitt
ee o
f the
Adm
inis
trativ
e C
ounc
il of
the
Eur
opea
n P
aten
t Org
anis
atio
n–
Incl
udes
one
repr
esen
tativ
e fro
m e
ach
UP
par
ticip
atin
g st
ate
and
the
EP
O P
resi
dent
–
Com
plet
ed it
s w
ork
in D
ecem
ber 2
015:
•R
ules
rela
ting
to U
nita
ry P
aten
t Pro
tect
ion,
•
Rul
es re
latin
g to
Fee
s,
•R
ules
rela
ting
to th
e di
strib
utio
n of
50%
of
Mai
nten
ance
Fee
s am
ongs
t the
par
ticip
atin
g st
ates
, •
Bud
geta
ry a
nd F
inan
cial
Rul
es.
•Th
e EP
O is
read
y fo
r the
Uni
tary
Pat
ent.
14
EU U
nifie
d Pa
tent
Cou
rt (U
PC)
Gen
eral
Initi
al C
omm
ents
•In
tend
ed e
vent
ually
to b
e a
foru
m fo
r liti
gatio
n of
all
pate
nts
issu
ed b
y EP
Oin
the
parti
cipa
ting
stat
es, i.e.:
–U
nita
ry P
aten
ts(=
Eur
opea
n pa
tent
s w
ith u
nita
ry
effe
ct)
•E
xclu
sive
juris
dict
ion
for U
Ps.
–Eu
rope
an P
aten
ts(in
clud
ing
EP
pat
ents
whi
ch
issu
ed b
efor
e U
PC
agr
eem
ent e
nter
ed in
to fo
rce,
and
w
hich
hav
e no
t yet
laps
ed b
y th
en)
•D
urin
ga
tran
sitio
nal p
erio
d of
7 to
14
year
s, a
n ac
tion
for i
nfrin
gem
ent o
r rev
ocat
ion
may
be
brou
ght b
efor
e ei
ther
the
UP
C o
r nat
iona
l cou
rts,
and
•O
wne
r of a
con
vent
iona
l EP
may
opt
-out
of th
e U
PC
dur
ing
this
per
iod
16
Stru
ctur
e of
the
UPC
Cou
rt o
f Firs
t Ins
tanc
e
Par
is –
seat
Lond
on –
part
Mun
ich
–pa
rt
17
Juris
dict
ion
of th
e C
entr
al D
ivis
ion
•C
entra
l Div
isio
n w
ill m
ostly
hea
r –
infri
ngem
ent a
ctio
ns:
•ag
ains
t def
enda
nts
base
d ou
tsid
e of
the
EU
, and
•
if a
mem
ber s
tate
doe
s no
t hav
e a
loca
l/reg
iona
l di
visi
on
–re
voca
tion
actio
ns:
•di
rect
(not
as
coun
terc
laim
s), o
r •
coun
terc
laim
s fo
r rev
ocat
ion
(in c
ase
of b
ifurc
atio
n),
–ac
tions
for d
ecla
ratio
n of
non
-infri
ngem
ent,
and
–ac
tions
aga
inst
dec
isio
ns o
f the
EP
O re
UP
.
18
Dis
trib
utio
n of
cas
es w
ithin
the
Cen
tral
Div
isio
n
19
Loca
l & R
egio
nal D
ivis
ions
•Lo
cal &
Reg
iona
l Div
isio
ns w
ill m
ostly
hea
r –
infri
ngem
ent a
ctio
ns w
here
:•
actu
al o
r thr
eate
ned
infri
ngem
ent h
as o
ccur
ed o
r m
ay o
ccur
, or
•de
fend
ant h
as it
s re
side
nce
or p
lace
of b
usin
ess
–co
unte
rcla
ims
for r
evoc
atio
n–
actio
ns fo
r pro
visi
onal
and
pro
tect
ive
mea
sure
s an
d in
junc
tions
20
•C
ourt
of F
irst I
nsta
nce
: 3 o
r 4 ju
dges
•C
ourt
of A
ppea
l: 3
or 5
judg
es
•Le
gally
qua
lifie
d ju
dge
–LQ
J •
Cou
rt of
Firs
t Ins
tanc
e –
Loca
l and
Reg
iona
l div
isio
ns: a
lway
s 3
LQJ
–C
entra
l Div
isio
n: a
lway
s 2
LQJ
•C
ourt
of A
ppea
l: al
way
s 3
LQJ
UPC
–Ju
dges
& P
anel
s
21
•C
ourt
of F
irst I
nsta
nce
: 3 o
r 4 ju
dges
•C
ourt
of A
ppea
l: 3
or 5
judg
es
•Te
chni
cally
qua
lifie
d ju
dge
–TQ
J •
Cou
rt of
Firs
t Ins
tanc
e –
Cen
tral D
ivis
ion:
alw
ays
1 TQ
J–
Loca
l and
Reg
iona
l Div
isio
ns:
1 TQ
J fro
m th
e po
ol o
f jud
ges,
if:
»co
unte
rcla
im fo
r rev
ocat
ion,
or
»re
ques
ted
by th
e di
visi
on
•C
ourt
of A
ppea
l : a
lway
s 2
TQJ
–ex
cept
in a
ctio
ns a
gain
st a
dmin
istra
tive
deci
sion
s of
the
EP
O
UPC
–Ju
dges
& P
anel
s
22
UPC
PR
EPA
RA
TIO
NS
23
The
UPC
Pre
para
tory
Com
mitt
ee
•Th
e pa
rtici
patin
g st
ates
cre
ated
a P
repa
rato
ry
Com
mitt
ee to
take
the
step
s ne
cess
ary
to e
stab
lish
the
UP
C.
•Th
e U
PC
Adm
inis
trativ
e C
omm
ittee
(AC
) is
expe
cted
ra
tify
the
Pre
para
tory
Com
mitt
ee’s
act
ions
whe
n th
e A
C
is e
stab
lishe
d.–
Orig
inal
ly, t
he A
C w
ould
not
exi
st u
ntil
the
OP
C
open
ed, 4
+ m
onth
s af
ter m
inim
um ra
tific
atio
n.
•Im
prac
tical
. –
A P
roto
col,
adop
ted
in O
ctob
er 2
015,
allo
ws
som
e pa
rts o
f the
UP
CA
to c
ome
into
forc
e on
the
day
afte
r m
inim
um ra
tific
atio
n.
•P
erm
its 4
+ m
onth
s fo
r fin
al p
repa
ratio
ns.
24
Prep
arat
ory
Com
mitt
ee
•Th
e P
repa
rato
ry C
omm
ittee
has
bee
n ta
king
the
step
s ne
cess
ary
to e
stab
lish
the
UP
C, w
ith fi
ve g
roup
s ta
king
re
spon
sibi
lity
for t
he m
ajor
wor
k st
ream
s:
•Fa
cilit
ies
•Fi
nanc
ial a
spec
ts•
Hum
an R
esou
rces
& T
rain
ing
•In
form
atio
n Te
chno
logy
(IT)
•Le
gal f
ram
ewor
k•
Targ
et fo
r com
plet
ion
of P
repa
rato
ry C
omm
ittee
wor
k is
S
umm
er 2
016
25
Faci
litie
s---
--Th
e ho
st s
tate
s ar
e la
rgel
y re
spon
sibl
e fo
r arr
angi
ng fo
r the
ph
ysic
al fa
cilit
ies
A m
ix o
f new
and
exi
stin
g fa
cilit
ies
will
be
used
Loca
l Div
isio
n -H
ambu
rgN
ordi
c-B
altic
Reg
iona
l D
ivis
ion
-Sto
ckho
lm
26
Fina
ncia
l asp
ects
•Th
e U
PC
is e
xpec
ted
to b
e se
lf-su
ppor
ting.
–
Fees
hav
e be
en s
et w
ith th
at in
min
d.•
Par
ticip
atin
g st
ates
are
bea
ring
initi
al c
osts
of f
acilit
ies.
27
Hum
an R
esou
rces
& T
rain
ing
•A
Tra
inin
g C
ente
r has
bee
n es
tabl
ishe
d in
Bud
apes
t–
Trai
ning
for t
he fi
rst g
roup
of l
egal
ly q
ualif
ied
cand
idat
e ju
dges
was
con
duct
ed in
201
5.•
The
EP
O is
ass
istin
g in
trai
ning
of c
andi
date
judg
es &
st
aff.
28
Info
rmat
ion
Tech
nolo
gy (I
T)
•C
reat
ion
of th
e IT
sys
tem
requ
ires
a lo
ng le
ad-ti
me
–A
prin
cipa
l con
stra
int o
n w
hen
the
UP
C w
ill be
read
y to
ope
n.
•A
clo
ud-b
ased
, off-
the-
shel
f, co
nfig
ured
e-fi
ling
and
case
m
anag
emen
t sys
tem
•A
pro
toty
pe fi
ling
syst
em is
ava
ilabl
e fo
r tes
ting
by th
e pu
blic
–Th
e pr
otot
ype
allo
ws
test
ers
to fi
le a
moc
k
infri
ngem
ent c
laim
.
29
Lega
l Fra
mew
ork
•Th
e U
PC
Rul
es o
f Pro
cedu
re h
ave
been
cre
ated
by
the
Pre
para
tory
Com
mitt
ee, c
ompr
isin
g re
pres
enta
tives
of
parti
cipa
ting
stat
es, w
ho h
ave
been
con
sulti
ng e
xper
ts
and
pote
ntia
l use
rs.
•A
fter m
inim
um ra
tific
atio
n of
the
UP
CA
, the
UP
C
Adm
inis
trativ
e C
omm
ittee
is e
xpec
ted
to a
dopt
the
Rul
es.
•A
fter t
he U
PC
is e
stab
lishe
d, th
e R
ules
may
be
amen
ded
on th
e ba
sis
of a
pro
posa
l fro
m th
e C
ourt
and
afte
r co
nsul
tatio
n w
ith th
e E
urop
ean
Com
mis
sion
–S
uper
ior t
o th
e E
PO
situ
atio
n, w
here
una
nim
ous
agre
emen
t is
requ
ired
to a
men
d pr
oced
ures
requ
ired
by th
e E
PC
.30
UPC
–PO
INTS
OF
INTE
RES
T
31
•Lo
cal D
ivis
ions
–Th
e of
ficia
l lan
guag
e of
the
Sta
te h
ostin
g th
e Lo
cal D
ivis
ion,
or
–on
e of
the
Sta
te's
offi
cial
lang
uage
s, o
r–
an o
ffici
al la
ngua
ge o
f the
EP
O d
esig
nate
d by
the
Sta
te.
•R
egio
nal D
ivis
ions
–O
ne o
f the
offi
cial
lang
uage
s de
sign
ated
by
the
Sta
tes
shar
ing
the
Reg
iona
l Div
isio
n.•
the
Sta
tes
shar
ing
the
Reg
iona
l Div
isio
n ar
e fre
e to
de
sign
ate
seve
ral o
ffici
al la
ngua
ges
or o
nly
one.
•C
entr
al D
ivis
ion
–Th
e of
ficia
l lan
guag
e of
the
EP
O in
whi
ch th
e pa
tent
in d
ispu
te
was
gra
nted
.
UPC
-Lan
guag
e of
pro
ceed
ings
32
•Ju
dges
will
be a
ppoi
nted
by
Mem
ber S
tate
s •
on th
e ba
sis
of a
list
pre
pare
d by
an
inde
pend
ent
Adv
isor
y C
omm
ittee
com
pose
d of
pat
ent
prac
titio
ners
•
The
initi
al c
once
rns
abou
t whe
ther
the
UP
C w
ould
at
tract
hig
h qu
ality
judg
es a
re d
imin
ishi
ng w
ith ti
me.
•
The
Pre
para
tory
Com
mitt
ee re
ceiv
ed a
n ov
erw
helm
ing
num
ber o
f exp
ress
ions
of i
nter
est f
rom
w
ell q
ualif
ied
lega
lly a
nd te
chni
cally
qua
lifie
d po
tent
ial
judg
es
•U
ntil
the
UP
C b
ecom
es b
usy,
som
e of
the
judg
es w
ill se
rve
on th
e co
urt p
art-t
ime,
whi
le c
ontin
uing
as
natio
nal p
aten
t jud
ges,
law
yers
or (
poss
ibly
) mem
bers
of
EP
O B
oard
s of
App
eal.
Judg
es
33
Prof
essi
onal
Rep
rese
ntat
ives
•R
epre
sent
atio
n in
the
UP
C m
ay b
e by
eith
er
–La
wye
rs a
utho
rised
to p
ract
ice
befo
re n
atio
nal c
ourts
(o
f a p
artic
ipat
ing
mem
ber s
tate
),an
d/or
–
Euro
pean
Pat
ent A
ttorn
eys
with
app
ropr
iate
qu
alifi
catio
ns (e.g.:
Eur
opea
n P
aten
t Liti
gatio
n C
ertif
icat
e).
34
UPC
Pro
cedu
re
•Ta
rget
–fin
al o
ral h
earin
g no
rmal
ly w
ithin
one
yea
r•
Man
aged
litig
atio
n–
Judg
e-ra
ppor
teur
•
Type
s of
evi
denc
e (A
rticl
e 53
(1) U
PC
A):
(a) &
(d) h
earin
g th
e pa
rties
& w
itnes
ses;
(b) r
eque
sts
for i
nfor
mat
ion;
(c) p
rodu
ctio
n of
doc
umen
ts;
(e) o
pini
ons
by e
xper
ts;
(f) in
spec
tion;
(g) c
ompa
rativ
e te
sts
or e
xper
imen
ts;
(h) s
wor
n st
atem
ents
in w
ritin
g (a
ffida
vits
).35
Lim
ited
Dis
cove
ry
Art
. 53
(1) (
c) U
PC –
Mea
ns o
f evi
denc
e:In
pro
ceed
ings
bef
ore
the
Cou
rt, th
e m
eans
of
givi
ng o
r obt
aini
ng e
vide
nce
shal
l inc
lude
in
parti
cula
r the
follo
win
g:…
(c) p
rodu
ctio
n of
doc
umen
ts
Rul
e 17
2 –
Dut
y to
pro
duce
evi
denc
e1.
Evi
denc
e av
aila
ble
to a
par
ty re
gard
ing
a st
atem
ent o
f fac
t tha
t is
cont
este
d or
con
test
able
by
the
othe
r par
ty m
ust b
e pr
oduc
ed b
y th
e pa
rty
mak
ing
that
sta
tem
ent o
f fac
t. …
.…
.36
•O
n Fe
brua
ry 2
6, 2
016,
the
Pre
para
tory
Com
mitt
ee
adop
ted
the
Rul
es o
n C
ourt
fees
and
reco
vera
ble
cost
s–
“FIN
AL
–su
bjec
t to
lega
l scr
ubbi
ng”
•In
fring
emen
t act
ion
or c
ount
ercl
aim
, or D
J of
no
ninf
ringe
men
t:–
Fixe
d fe
e –
€11,
000,
plu
s–
Val
ue-b
ased
fee
for s
uch
actio
ns v
alue
d in
ex
cess
of €
500,
000
-~0.
3 -0
.6%
of v
alue
•
Rev
ocat
ion
actio
n or
cou
nter
clai
m:
–Fi
xed
fee
–€2
0,00
0
UPC
Fee
s
37
Bifu
rcat
ion
•S
ome
pers
ons
fear
ed th
at b
ifurc
atio
n m
ight
be
the
norm
, es
peci
ally
in G
erm
an d
ivis
ions
–
Lette
r fro
m g
roup
of t
ech
com
pani
es e
xpre
ssed
pa
rticu
lar c
once
rn o
ver p
ossi
ble
infri
ngem
ent
inju
nctio
n is
sued
bef
ore
any
rulin
g on
val
idity
. •
Like
lihoo
d of
bifu
rcat
ion
is d
imin
ishe
d by
–U
PC
A p
rovi
sion
s, a
nd
–de
sire
of m
ost j
udge
s to
han
dle
the
entir
e ca
se.
•Li
kelih
ood
of p
rem
atur
e in
junc
tion
is p
ract
ical
ly
elim
inat
ed b
y–
Spe
ed o
f UP
C p
roce
edin
gs, a
nd
–A
dditi
onal
coo
rdin
atio
n pr
ovis
ions
in th
e R
ules
.38
Bifu
rcat
ed p
roce
edin
gsU
PCA
Pro
visi
ons
& R
ules
•U
nder
Art.
33
(3) U
PC
A: T
he lo
cal o
r reg
iona
l div
isio
n co
ncer
ned
shal
l, af
ter h
avin
g he
ard
the
parti
es, h
ave
the
disc
retio
n ei
ther
to:
a)pr
ocee
d w
ith b
oth
the
actio
n fo
r inf
ringe
men
t and
w
ith th
e co
unte
rcla
im fo
r rev
ocat
ion
… .
b)re
fer t
he c
ount
ercl
aim
for r
evoc
atio
n fo
r dec
isio
n to
th
e ce
ntra
l di
visi
on a
nd s
uspe
nd o
r pro
ceed
with
the
actio
n fo
r inf
ringe
men
t; or
c)w
ith th
e ag
reem
ent o
f the
par
ties,
refe
r the
cas
e fo
r de
cisi
on to
the
cent
ral d
ivis
ion.
39
Bifu
rcat
ed p
roce
edin
gsU
PCA
Pro
visi
ons
& R
ules
•If
a re
voca
tion
actio
n ha
s be
en fi
led
with
the
cent
ral
divi
sion
, an
infri
ngem
ent a
ctio
n ca
n st
ill be
file
d w
ith a
lo
cal d
ivis
ion.
Art.
33
(5) U
PC
A.
•A
non
-infri
ngem
ent D
J ac
tion
filed
with
the
cent
ral
divi
sion
, thi
s ac
tion
shal
l be
stay
ed, i
f the
pat
ente
e fil
es
an in
fring
emen
t act
ion
with
a lo
cal d
ivis
ion
with
in th
ree
mon
ths.
Art.
33
(6) U
PC
A.
•Th
e R
ules
now
pro
vide
for:
–S
tay
of in
fring
emen
t pro
ceed
ings
whe
n th
e cl
aim
s ar
e hi
ghly
like
ly to
be
foun
d in
valid
(Rul
e 37
), an
d–
Acc
eler
atio
n of
revo
catio
n pr
ocee
ding
s if
ther
e is
no
such
sta
y. (R
ule
40).
40
Opt
ing-
Out
–D
urin
g a
7-ye
ar tr
ansi
tiona
l per
iod
(whi
ch m
ay b
e ex
tend
ed),
Arti
cle
83 o
f the
UP
CA
per
mits
: •
Pla
intif
fs to
brin
g ac
tions
rela
ting
to o
rdin
ary
Eur
opea
n P
aten
ts b
efor
e ei
ther
the
UP
C o
r nat
iona
l co
urts
, exc
ept
•A
pplic
ants
and
pro
prie
tors
of o
rdin
ary
Eur
opea
n P
aten
ts m
ay o
pt-o
ut fr
om th
e U
PC
's ju
risdi
ctio
n (a
void
ing
a ce
ntra
l atta
ck o
n va
lidity
)–
No
offic
ial o
pt-o
ut fe
e.
–O
pt-o
ut a
pplie
s fo
r the
life
of a
pat
ent,
unle
ss o
pted
-in
agai
n.
41
Opt
ing-
Out
•R
easo
ns s
ugge
sted
for o
ptin
g-ou
t:–
Fear
s of
Cen
tral A
ttack
–
Fear
of t
he U
nkno
wn
•Fe
ars
of p
oor q
ualit
y ju
dges
–P
refe
renc
es o
f Liti
gato
rs fo
r Nat
iona
l Pro
cedu
res
•K
now
n•
Alre
ady
expe
rienc
ed•
Com
petit
ive
reas
ons
–A
bel
ief t
hat o
pt-o
ut p
rovi
des
a pa
tent
ow
ner w
ith
grea
ter c
ontro
l ove
r cho
ice
of c
ourt.
42
Bew
are
of th
e O
pt-O
ut T
orpe
do
•P
aten
t ow
ner o
pts
out o
f the
UP
C fo
r its
EP
–A
void
s re
voca
tion
actio
n in
UP
C, a
nd
–N
atio
nal c
ourts
then
hav
e ex
clus
ive
juris
dict
ion.
•P
oten
tial D
efen
dant
“fire
s a
Torp
edo”
–
files
a D
J ac
tion
in a
slo
w n
atio
nal c
ourt
•P
aten
t Ow
ner i
s ba
rred
from
use
of t
he U
PC
–A
t lea
st u
ntil
the
natio
nal c
ourt
deci
des
whe
ther
it
has
juris
dict
ion,
and
–
Pos
sibl
y un
til a
fina
l dec
isio
n on
app
eal o
f the
m
erits
in n
atio
nal c
ourts
.
~~~
~~~
~~~
~~~
~~~
43
Plan
Now
!
Two
Maj
or D
ecis
ions
1.D
o yo
u w
ant a
Uni
tary
Pat
ent?
–
Why
act
now
?•
EP
s m
ay b
e va
lidat
ed a
s ei
ther
nat
iona
l pat
ents
or
UP
s st
artin
g on
the
effe
ctiv
e da
te
–In
clud
es p
rese
ntly
pen
ding
app
licat
ions
–Pr
inci
pal f
acto
rs:
•U
P in
sure
s ju
risdi
ctio
n of
UPC
•N
o na
tiona
l rev
ocat
ion
actio
ns–
Pre
vent
s lo
wer
cos
t nat
iona
l inf
ringe
men
t ac
tions
•P
rovi
des
prot
ectio
n in
13+
par
ticip
atin
g st
ates
•C
ost a
naly
sis
(out
side
sco
pe o
f thi
s pr
esen
tatio
n)45
Two
Maj
or D
ecis
ions
Plan
Now
!2.
Do
you
wan
t to
opt-o
ut o
f the
UPC
?–
Avo
id ri
sk o
f cen
tral a
ttack
by
UP
C re
voca
tion
actio
n•
Is th
at s
o ba
d?–
Incu
r ris
k of
a to
rped
o ac
tion
•P
reve
nts
opt-i
n to
UP
C a
gain
whi
le p
endi
ng
46
The
End
John
B. P
egra
mP
egra
m@
fr.co
m
For m
ore
info
rmat
ion
on th
e E
U U
nita
ry P
aten
t and
Uni
fied
Pat
ent C
ourt,
se
e ht
tp://
ww
w.fr
.com
/glo
bal/u
nita
ry-p
aten
t/47