Unitary Patent: Official Forms to Request Transitional Measures Are Now Available

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) has recently announced that the Sunrise Period of the Unitary Patent system will start on 1 March 2023 and is expected to enter into force on 1 June 2023. This means that the Unitary Patent will be operational as of the latter date.

However, with a view to supporting users in an early uptake of the Unitary Patent, the European Patent Office (EPO) has decided to introduce two transitional measures applicable to European patent applications having reached the final phase of the grant procedure. These measures are made available ahead of the entry into force of the Unitary Patent system, as of 1 January 2023.

Official forms can be found on the EPO website to be able to file early requests for unitary effect and for a delay in issuing the decision to grant a European patent.