UK moves ahead with ratification of unified patent

The UK government has moved a step closer to ratifying the European Union Unified Patent Court agreement.

The government introduced secondary legislation on the UPC to the UK parliament on 26 June in the form of an Order on Privileges and Immunities, which if passed would give the court legal status under UK law.

The order will have to be debated in both houses of parliament and will require Privy Council approval. A separate order will be put to the Scottish parliament soon, a spokesman from the UK Intellectual Property Office told Research Fortnight.