New unitary patent applies (almost) throughout the EU

A unitary patent system has been in force in the EU since June 1. It provides a one-stop shop for filing and enforcing patents across much of the EU. The Unitary Patent System means lower costs, less paperwork and less administrative burden – especially for SMEs. However, only 17 EU member states are participating in the new system, covering about 80 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product. Croatia, Poland and Spain, for example, are not currently participating. German industry and the German Patent Office welcomed the introduction.