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