BIA welcomes UK ratification of the UPC Agreement

The UK Minister for Intellectual Property, Sam Gyimah MP, on Thursday (April 26) confirmed that the UK has ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA).

Responding to the announcement, Steve Bates, chief executive of the BioIndustry Association (BIA) comments: “Being able to protect intellectual property is vital for life science companies and is often the key value in emerging bioscience companies. We welcome the announcement that the UK has ratified the UPC Agreement to create a single system for the registration, prosecution and enforcement of patents across much of Europe.

"This will provide the option for businesses to save time and money, which will be of particular benefit for SMEs [small- and medium-sized enterprises], as they will be able to register their patents across the participating countries at reduced cost and enforce them through a centralised court system rather than multiple local courts. The Central Division of the Court with responsibility for life sciences cases is due to be based in London, further cementing the UK’s position as a primary destination for investment. The involvement of the UK judiciary with their significant expertise will also be a major advantage to the new system.