Update on the Unitary Patent System 20181130b · 2018-12-28 · Update on the Unitary Patent System...

UPDATETHEUNITARYPATENTSYSTEM

30TH NOVEMBER2018

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AGENDA

1.Zaccoinbrief2.ReformoftheEuropeanPatentSystem3.ImplicationsforCompanies4.Iftime- Industry 4.0and Patenting

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INTERNATIONALNETWORKZACCO- EUROPEANFOOTPRINT

• Full-serviceEuropeanIPconsultancywithScandinavianroots• 360o approachtoIP– ClassicalLegalInstruments,CyberSecurity,DigitalBrands,DataandDigitalAssets• Morethan472employees• 29officesinDenmark,Sweden,Norway,Germany,Great-Britain,FranceandIndia• Foundedin1870

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REFORMOFTHEEUROPEANPATENTSYSTEM

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TheEuropeanPatentConvention of1973• IntergovernmentalagreementestablishingtheEuropeanPatentOrganization– notanEuropeanUnioninstitution- andmanagedbytheAdministrativeCouncil

• Establish theEuropeanPatentasasupplementtoParis-routeapplications tonationaloffices• Europeanpatentsare validated inEuropeancountries andthus forma”Bundledpatent”ofnationalrights withthesameorigin andlegalcapacity

• Europeanpatentsareenforcedinnationaljurisdictions• EversincetheentryintoforceoftheEPC,attemptshasbeenmadetoestablishacommonenforcementsystem- buttonoavail– until2012

THEEPCANDTHEPATENTREFORM

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AsIPbecomes decisiveforCompanyValue:….astrong political desire emerged tocreate aEuropean-wide enforcement systembeing anintegrale partoftheEuropeanpatentsystem,that:• Arecost-efficient andless timeconsuming• Avoids (or reduce)forumshopping• Establish one singlesetofRules ofProcedures,and• Thatensureahighanduniform qualityofenforcementbyhavingasharedpoolofjudgeswithequivalenteducationandtraining

WHY THEREFORMCREATING THEUPANDTHEUPC?

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• PoliticalcompromisereachedinDecember2012byagreementbetweentheEuropeanCouncilandtheEuropeanParliament• ElementsfromtheGermansystemofbifocation(separationofvalidityandinfringementissues)andNorthEuropeanpracticeoforalproceedings• Thecourt can be setatnational,regionalandcentrallevel,thus allowingcontracting states tokeep proximity tousers

POLITICAL COMPROMISE AND-DECIONDANISH PRESIDENCY OFTHEEU

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• TheUP/UPCwillenterintoforcewhen13contractingstateshaveratified–including theUK,FranceandGermany

• Today,16stateshaveratifiedincluding FranceandtheUK

Two issues:1. A constitutionalcomplaint isfiledinGermany– noinformation astowhenand

whetherthiswillbeclarified2. IftheAgreementisnotentered intoforcebefore 29.March2019(dayof

Brexit),elementsof thedealhavetoberenegotiated

IMPLEMENTATION – REMAINING ISSUESANDWAY FORWARD

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TheOptimist• Germanyisexpectedtoclarifytheconstitutional issueswithin6months i.e.June2019• Re-negotiateUKparticipation- 6monthstowardstheend2019• Ratificationinthebeginningof2020• EndPreliminaryApplicationPeriod(PAP)June2020andUP/UPCup-and-runningyearend2020

ThePessimist• AdditionaltwoyearsnegotiatingUKparticipationandlocationofcentraldivisionbio-branch• Up-and-running2022orlater

PROJECTION

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• Aftersun-rice,aIn thePAPoffourmonthfromthelastratificationuntil”Sun-rise”– applicantscanopt-outwiththerighttoopt-inlater• pplicants canopt-out,unlesstheirapplicationispartofanongoinglegalproceeding.• Anglo-Americanpharmaandbiotechcompaniesareexpectedtoopt-outuntilpracticehasbeenestablishedwiththenewUPC• Similarconsiderationsinotherindustries• Europeanandnationalpatentswillprevailintheshortandmediumterm

IMPORTANT TOCONSIDEROPT-OUT?– IFANDWHEN

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INDUSTRY4.0ANDTHEPATENTSYSTEM…..IFTIMEPERMITS

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IdeaPrepareandfileapplication

Investi-gate&search

Draftapplication

Authorityprocessapplication

Search

Evaluate

Dialoguebetweenauthorityandadvisor

Patentgrant

Renewalfees

Redcirclesindicatethatprocessesare”disrupted”

INDUSTRY4.0ANDTHEPATENTPROCESS

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THANKYOUFORYOURATTENTION