Unified Patent Court (UPC)

A multi-national court established as part of the creation of the unitary patent system for participating EU member states. 

Where a unitary patent has been obtained, any actions, such as infringement or revocation actions, involving that patent fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the UPC (as opposed to the national courts of the participating member states). 

During a transitional period, non-unitary European patents in the participating member states (i.e. those patents that have been individually validated in those states) may have actions brought in either the national courts or the UPC.  To prevent actions being brought before the UPC it is possible (during this transitional period) to "opt-out" European Patents from the jurisdiction of the UPC, thereby requiring actions to be brought against or under the patent in the national courts of each country in which the patent has been validated. 

As European Patent Attorneys, UK-based attorneys with the relevant qualifications can represent clients before the UPC.