Starting date of EPO transitional measures remains 1 January 2023

6 December 2022

Yesterday, the UPC announced in a statement
that its Sunrise Period will start on 1 March 2023 followed by the entry into
force of the UPCA on 1 June 2023. This means that the Unitary Patent will be
operational as of the latter date.

The starting date of the transitional measures offered by
the EPO remains unchanged despite the revised timeline published by the Unified
Patent Court as regards the commencement of  their Sunrise Period and the entry into force
of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court.

At the EPO, applicants can file early requests for unitary
effect and for a delay in issuing the decision to grant a European patent as from
1 January 2023.