Slovenia, Lithuania Move Closer to Ratification of UPC Agreement
On September 22, 2016 Slovenia adopted a law ratifying the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Agreement. The law came into force on October 22, 2016.
As the national ratification procedure is completed, Slovenia can now deposit its instrument of ratification with the Council of the EU.
On November 3, 2016 Lithuania adopted two laws enabling it to ratify the UPC Agreement and its Nordic-Baltic Regional Division.
The laws will enter into force on July 1, 2017, before which relevant amendments to the Lithuanian Patent Law will have to be adopted. The amendments have already been submitted to the Lithuanian Parliament.
The UPC Agreement was signed in Brussels on February 19, 2013. The UPC will be a court common to the contracting states and thus part of their judicial system. It will have exclusive competence with regard to European patents and European patents with unitary effect.
In 2014, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden signed an agreement on the establishment of a Nordic-Baltic Regional Division of the UPC, whose seat and sub-registry will be in Stockholm, Sweden. It is expected that in some situations cases may be heard in Lithuania as well.
The future of the UPC was uncertain until the United Kingdom recently confirmed it is proceeding with preparations to ratify the UPC Agreement despite Brexit.
The Agreement enters into force on the first day of the fourth month after at least 13 member states have deposited their instrument of ratification, including the three states with most European patents (France, Germany and the United Kingdom).
Prepared by: Maja Žnidarič and Djurdja Krivokapić
For more information, please contact mail@petosevic.com.
Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Lithuanian State Patent Bureau, The Unified Patent Court
Read more news on Slovenia, Lithuania or . Get our latest IP news or browse IP News Eastern Europe Archives.
Share:
November 2016 News
- Russian Appellate Court Upholds LinkedIn Block in Russia for Personal Data Law Infringement
- Kyrgyzstan Simplifies Trade Name Registration Procedure
- Slovenia, Lithuania Move Closer to Ratification of UPC Agreement
- Russia Considers Trademark Opposition System
- Russia Drafting Amendments to Cease and Desist Letter Procedure
- Ukrainian Cyber Police Shut Down Movie Streaming Websites
- Hungarian Officials Seize 4,000 Bottles of Fake Perfume
- Fake Watches and Toys Destroyed in Bulgaria
- Ukrainian Officials Seize Fake Sneakers and Cell Phones
- Romanian Customs Seize Fake Pencil Cases
- EC: Macedonia Moderately Prepared in IP Area