Member states adopt unitary patent rules

The details of how a single European unitary patent will operate have been formally agreed by EU member states, the European Patent Office has said.

Member states have formally agreed on budgetary and implementation rules for the unitary patent, completing the preparations for its introduction, according to an EPO statement released on 15 December. The adoption follows the informal agreement reached in November on the final aspects of these rules. 

The only steps that now remain before the introduction of the unitary patent are the opening of a Unified Patent Court and the completion of the ratification process at national level. EPO president Benoît Battistelli said: “We hope this will happen in 2016 and we are convinced that it will boost innovation in Europe.”