Navigation Menu

Other Services

Skip to Navigation menu Skip to top of page

WEEKLY NEWS - MAY 29, 2009

This article is part of MIP Week, a weekly email newsletter written by the editors of Managing IP magazine. Take a one week trial to Managing IP and find many more related articles.

Europe seeks ECJ green light on patent court

EU ministers have agreed to ask Europe’s highest court to decide whether a Europe-wide patent litigation system is compatible with the EC Treaty

Meeting in Brussels yesterday, the ministers agreed in principle to requesting the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to provide an opinion as to the legality of a unified patent litigation system.

In March, the Commission took the first formal steps towards an agreement on a single patent litigation system, which could be used for European patents and (if they are introduced) Community patents.

The agreement would be open to EPC members such as Switzerland that are not members of the EU.

Officials yesterday said that discussions between member states have focused on a draft agreement and a draft statute of the future court, including contentious issues such as the composition of the panels of judges, the implementation and operation of the envisaged agreement, the role of the ECJ in the interpretation of Community law and transitional arrangements.



Add Your Comment


  • All comments are subject to editorial review.




Email a friend

  • All fields are compulsory

To include more than one recipient, please separate each email address with a semi-colon ';'






Email the editor

  • All fields are compulsory