The European Union Member States reached an agreement for the establishment of a single European Patent Court. The next step will be for the European Parliament to take a position on the proposal.
The creation of a single patent system would mean that people can apply for a patent to be valid in the entire EU – a market of some 500 million people. Protection in 13 Member States currently costs 11 times more than a patent in the United States.
“Establishing an EU patent and a single European Patent Court is the single most important measure for promoting innovation in Europe. In view of the major simplifications and cost savings, this is, of course, also particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises,” says Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask.
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