Europe’s Unitary Patent Gains Traction Among Universities and SMEs

Launched in June 2023, the unitary patent was designed to simplify and reduce the cost of protecting inventions across multiple EU member states. By allowing inventors to obtain patent protection in up to 18 participating countries through a single application, it marked a significant step toward a more unified European intellectual property (IP) landscape. 

Now, nearly two years later, adoption of the system is picking up pace, particularly among universities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the European Patent Office (EPO), more than 57% of patents granted to SMEs and universities in 2024 requested unitary protection, highlighting how widely the system is being embraced by these sectors. A positive trend is also visible among other European organisations, with over 36% of their granted patents requesting unitary protection that same year. 

The EPO recently announced it had passed the milestone of 50,000 unitary patent requests, exceeding initial expectations. The strong uptake reflects the appeal of a more accessible, cost-effective route to securing broader patent protection, particularly for organisations with limited resources. 

Universities and SMEs are embracing the unitary patent as it fits well into leaner intellectual property strategies. For example, Belgium’s KU Leuven requested unitary protection for nearly all of its 46 patents granted in 2024, citing the benefit of broader territorial coverage at lower administrative cost. 

On the other hand, larger companies are moving more cautiously in that direction. With more complex, often global IP strategies already in place, many are still evaluating how best to integrate the new system. Still, the long-term potential is clear, and broader adoption across the private sector may follow as confidence in the system grows.