CJEU Advocate General: 25 member states can agree a unitary patent deal

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

CJEU Advocate General: 25 member states can agree a unitary patent deal

An important hurdle in the path of the unitary patent looks set to be dismantled after a key legal adviser at the Court of Justice of the EU said today that 25 member states should be able to press ahead with a deal without Italy and Spain

Last year the two countries asked Europe’s highest court to stop the European Council from pursuing the unitary patent package under the enhanced cooperation procedure.

The two countries are particularly unhappy about the proposal to make English, French and German the official languages of the unitary patent system.

Today Advocate General Bot said that the question of the language arrangements for the unitary patent “is not a condition that determines the validity of the decision authorising enhanced cooperation” and advised the Court to rule that Italy and Spain’s request to prevent the use of the enhanced cooperation procedure is inadmissible.

Italy and Spain had argued that enhanced cooperation procedure authorised by the Council would undermine the internal market and economic, social and territorial cohesion; constitute a barrier to trade between member states; and distort competition between them.

But Bot dismissed their claims. “To my mind there is no evidence that it would do so: indeed, it would do precisely the opposite,” he wrote.

Although the Court is not obliged to follow the Advocate General’s advice, it does in the majority of cases.

The Court of Justice is expected to rule in the case next year.

Keep up to date with all the unitary patent developments by bookmarking Managing IP's dedicated unitary patent page.






more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

In-house counsel explain why firms should provide risk management advice that helps them achieve their goals
Attorneys at four firms explain the AI trends they expect in the future, including a potential shift in who plaintiffs sue for copyright infringement
The dispute at the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court pits Dryrobe against D-Robe and will include a ‘genericide’ element
Novo Nordisk losing patent rights covering Ozempic in Canada and a US Supreme Court decision favouring Ed Sheeran were also among the top talking points
The court will hand down its ruling in Iconix v Dream Pairs on Tuesday, June 24, in a case that concerns post-sale confusion
Developments included a stay in a row concerning the UPC’s jurisdiction and a timeline for the rollout of the long-awaited new CMS
Jorg Thomaier, who has been head of IP at the German pharma company since 2010, will leave later this year and hand the reins to the company’s head of patents
Companies must conduct thorough IP due diligence – even if it may not be mandatory
Celia Cheah at Wong & Partners in Malaysia says she is aiming to tap into the Baker McKenzie member firm’s international network and expand its IP portfolio
A team of partners that joined Boies Schiller Flexner say they would like to double the firm’s patent litigation capabilities
Gift this article