EU ‘unitary patent package’

In mid-December, members of the European Parliament approved the proposed "EU patent package" (unitary patent, language regime and unified patent court).
Following the compromise reached with the Council of the EU, the Parliament said the new scheme would mean that inventors would be able to apply to the European Patent Organisation for an EU unitary patent valid in all 25 EU member states taking part. Patents would be made available in English, French and German (and applications would have to be made in the same languages). If done in another language, they would have to be accompanied by a translation into one of these three languages.
The European Parliament said it had ensured that translation costs would be fully reimbursed for EU-based small and medium-sized enterprises, non-profit organisations, universities and public research organisations.
The Council of the EU also adopted the two regulations on the Unitary Patent and the translation arrangements in December.
The third element of the package is the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPC) designed to ensure the uniform applicability of patent law throughout the member states participating. The Parliament said the international agreement creating a unified patent court “would enter into force on 1 January 2014 or after thirteen contracting states ratify it, provided that the UK, France and Germany are among them”.
The other two acts would apply from 1 January 2014, or from the date when the international agreement enters into force, whichever is the latest. More information is available here.