News & Knowledge

B&B Bulletin

Issue December 2022

Extension of TRIPS waiver to Covid-19 therapeutics and diagnostics.

The Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) decided in June that all “developing countries” can waive the protection of intellectual property necessary for the production and distribution of Covid 19 vaccines, including all processes, technologies and ingredients required...

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ECJ on Interim Measures in Germany – Reactions in Case Law and Literature

After the Munich District Court asked for clarification, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has commented on German court practice regarding preliminary injunctions in patent infringement cases where the validity of the patent in question has not already been confirmed...

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New consumer protection law for digital goods

With the Digital Content Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/770), the EU is further expanding the European digital single market and making it easier for consumers to access digital products. The EU’s stated goal was to ensure a balance between a high...

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From the land of the “Beetle smile” or on the protection of the famous shape in Germany

The Porsche 911 decision of the Federal Court of Justice (I ZR 222/20) and Ur-Käfer decision of the Higher Regional Court of Braunschweig (2 U 47/19) The Volkswagen Beetle and the Porsche 911 are indisputably among the great classics of...

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Special Edition UPC December 2022

Introduction: What is the Unitary Patent System?

The Unitary Patent System comprises, on the one hand, a new European patent with unitary effect in all participating EU Member States, and, on the other hand, a new Unified Patent Court (UPC) which will decide on these unitary patents,...

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When will the new system become operational?

According to the current roadmap of the UPC Preparatory Team, the Unified Patent Court should start its work on June 1, 2023. With the deposit of the instrument of ratification by Austria as the thirteenth member on January 18, 2022,...

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Competence of the UPC

In principle, from the entry into force of the agreement, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) will have exclusive competence in civil proceedings relating to European patents, Unitary Patents, supplementary protection certificates for products protected by such patents and European patent...

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Structure and functionality of the UPC

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) consists of a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal and a Registry. Court of First Instance The Court of First Instance comprises a central chamber sitting in Paris and a division sitting in...

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Opt-out

With the entry into force of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA), the Unified Patent Court will have jurisdiction over actions for infringement or invalidity of classical bundle patents and a new Unitary Patent. However, actions for infringement...

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Strategic considerations

The introduction of the Unitary Patent System paves ways for taking many different routes towards a European patent strategy. Patent law and jursidiction Multiple different choices can be made with regard to the nature of the patent right and with...

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