UK is heading for ‘soft’ Brexit – support for new EU patent court proves it

The United Kingdom government confirmed on the 28 November 2016 that it was proceeding with preparations to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement. This was part of the process needed to realise the Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court (UPCA). Under the new regime, businesses would be able to protect and enforce their patent rights across Europe in a more streamlined way - with a single patent and through a single patent court.

Luke McDonagh argues that this UPC ratification decision – along with the October 2016 'deal' with Nissan - were the first important signals that Brexit would, in reality, be quite 'soft' even if the rhetoric continued to be 'hard'.

• Primary Source

United Kingdom: GOV.UK: Intellectual Property Office: Press Release, 28.11.16: UK signals green light to Unified Patent Court Agreement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-signals-green-light-to-unified-patent-court-agreement

ESO: Background information: Unitary patent & Unified Patent Court http://www.europeansources.info/record/unitary-patent-and-unified-patent-court-a-better-patent-system-for-europe/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

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