The Unified Patent
Court (UPC) announced yesterday the list of judges nominated to the Unified
Patent Court. The announcement includes the appointment of Ms Florence Butin (FR) as President of the
Court of First Instance and Mr Klaus Grabinski
(DE) as President of the Court of Appeal.
This
marks an important step forward in the creation of the Unified Patent Court as
judiciary of the Unitary Patent system. „The EPO congratulates the Unified
Patent Court on the appointment of 85 legally and technically qualified judges.
My special congratulations go to Mr Klaus
Grabinski for his election as President of Court of Appeal and Ms Florence Butin for her election as the
President of the Court of First Instance, as well as all the elected members of
the Presidium of the UPC,“ remarks António Campinos, President of the EPO. „The
Unified Patent Court will be a key institution as Europe moves forward to further
harmonise its IP landscape and consolidate a
single market for technology and innovation.“
Once operational, the UPC will
have exclusive jurisdiction in the Contracting States of the Agreement on a
Unified Patent Court on matters regarding Unitary Patents and classic European
patents. In the latter case, UPC’s exclusive jurisdiction will however be
subject to exceptions during a transitional period.