Latest UPC updates

HLK secures substantial costs award for Establishment Labs at the UPC

We’re pleased to have achieved a strong result for our client Establishment Labs S.A. in a recent UPC infringement action brought by CooperSurgical.

After the patent at issue was revoked by the EPO, CooperSurgical withdrew its UPC case and argued that each party should bear its own costs. The UPC disagreed and held that a withdrawing claimant, especially following EPO revocation, should be treated as the unsuccessful party, awarding Establishment Labs substantial costs.

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Webinar: The UPC – Claimant and Defendant perspectives

15 October 2025

UPC litigation can be full of pitfalls… so how do you avoid them and what do you need to take into consideration? Our speakers will present an insightful case study of a (fictional) UPC infringement action, from pre-action steps to trial, based on their real-world experience of litigation before the court.

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Transatlantic Toolkit

5 August 2025

Introducing our collection of quick tips and suggestions dedicated to helping US attorneys navigate UK and European patents, designs and the UPC.

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Newsflash: UPC Court hands down first long-arm injunction

18 July 2025

In the latest development in a longstanding dispute between Fujifilm and Kodak, the Mannheim Local Division of the UPC has today granted an injunction relating to activities in the UK, a non-UPC country. We explore the injunction in this article.

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The Unified Patent Court 2025 guide

30 June 2025

We are delighted to have contributed to The Unified Patent Court 2025 guide from Chambers and Partners. We contributed to the UK Trends and Developments section of the guide, discussing the long-arm jurisdiction of the UPC.

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UPC Court of Appeal clarifies key questions around temporal limitation of jurisdiction

16 June 2025

The Court of Appeal (CoA) of the UPC recently handed down a decision clarifying temporal limitations to the UPC’s competence (UPC_CoA_156/2025. In this article, Will Morgan gives us his key takeaways from the decision.

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Webinar – The UPC’s role in international litigation strategies

12 June 2025

Don’t miss this webinar for the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the increasingly important role of the UPC in international litigation strategy.

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The long arm of the UPC

1 May 2025

We explore a series of recent decisions covering the extent of UPC jurisdiction, and consider what these decisions mean for users of the court.

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UPC vs US patent litigation: The appeal process and beyond

7 April 2025

Building on our first article, this time we focus on other key aspects of litigation in both jurisdictions, such as the appeal process, settlement, confidentiality, remedies, provisional and protective measures, and cost recoverability.

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UPC vs US patent litigation: The early stages

31 March 2025

In part one of this two-part comparative article series on UPC and US patent litigation, Paulina Kasprzak explores the differences between the two systems in the stages leading up to trial, focusing on infringement actions.

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Doctrine of equivalents: UK vs Germany vs UPC

12 March 2025

This article looks at the position in the UK, Germany, where the doctrine of equivalents has been established over time by national case law and how the Unified Patents Court has dealt with this issue.

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The UPC’s first annual report

20 February 2025

The first annual report since the Unified Patent Court came into effect at the start of June 2023 has been published. The report provides key insights into the Court’s activities, cases and key developments within its first year. We explore the report in this article and look forward to what’s coming next.

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Reaching too far? UPC extends long-arm jurisdiction to UK infringement

10 February 2025

The Unified Patent Court has clarified that it has jurisdiction to determine claims for infringement in non-contracting states of the UPC, for instance the UK, in certain circumstances. In this article, Abbie Buckler explores the case in point and what it means for patent owners.

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A guide to security for costs at the UPC

28 November 2024

In this short article, Sanjeet Plaha, IP litigation specialist and member of our UPC team, runs through all you need to know about security for costs.

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Why should you exercise caution in what you say to the EPO during a prosecution?

20 November 2024

We explore the importance of being careful of what you say to the EPO during prosecution of your European patent applications.

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UPC update: Withdrawal of an opt-out decision from the UPC Court of Appeal

14 November 2024

Discover how the recent UPC Court of Appeal ruling enables patentees to withdraw opt-outs for patents involved in pre-UPC litigation.

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What makes description and drawing so important to support claim scope at the UPC?

13 November 2024

In his second article in this series, Matthew Howell explores the importance of description and drawing to support the claim scope. It’s one of the areas you can focus on to improve your chances of success at the UPC.

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How can you mitigate the risk of a successful invalidity attack at the UPC?

6 November 2024

We explore how, in drafting and prosecution of your European patent, you can mitigate the risk of a successful invalidity attack.

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Top priorities of IP professionals when polled about the UPC

28 October 2024

What are the top priorities for IP professionals when it comes to UPC litigation, procedures and requirements? We find out following our recent poll.

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Strong confidence in Unified Patent Court’s assessment of inventive step

21 October 2024

According to our recent poll. a majority of IP professionals are confident in the UPC’s assessment of inventive step.

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Support for the UPC to adopt the EPO’s approach to added subject matter

17 October 2024

Most IP professionals would favour the UPC adopting the EPO’s approach to added subject matter, according to our recent poll.

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UPC Unpacked: Special edition

17 September 2024

In this edition we break down the hot topics from our recent ‘Unpacking the UPC: Expert insights and lessons learnt’ webinar, that took place on 11 September.

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Webinar – Unpacking the UPC: Expert insights and lessons learnt

12 September 2024

Join our team of UPC experts as they share their insights on the Unified Patent Court and practical tips they’ve gleaned through their own first hand experience of the Court.

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Unitary Patent validations and those all important deadlines

13 August 2024

In this article, we explain Unitary Patent validations, what’s required and by when, and outline practical steps you can take if you miss the deadline.

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Understanding bifurcation in UPC proceedings

8 August 2024

Discover what bifurcation is, how it can arise and how this potential scenario might be handled at the UPC.

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UPC Unpacked: Issue 5

20 August 2024

In this edition our UPC experts examine the UPC’s first decided cases, its caseload and SEP and FRAND disputes to pull out key findings.

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The first decided cases: What do they teach us about the UPC’s approach?

20 August 2024

Matthew Howell pulls out key learnings from five decided cases at the UPC, sharing his insight into the Court’s approach to claim construction, added subject matter, inventive step and novelty, and how it compares to the EPO’s.

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The UPC’s caseload: What do the numbers tell us?

20 August 2024

James Ward examines the caseload of the UPC since it opened its doors on 1 June 2023. He discusses which actions and measures are proving popular, or less so, and other aspects of the new system, drawing conclusions that will be useful to parties considering initiating their own proceedings.

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UPC Unpacked: Issue 4

17 July 2024

Our UPC experts do a deep dive into cases and recent decisions, and share their learnings on navigating jurisdictional issues, the origins of infringement actions, and tell you all you need to know about security for costs.  

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Navigating jurisdictional issues to maximise strategy alternatives at the UPC

17 July 2024

In this article, James Ward examines three cases to pinpoint learnings that can inform your wider litigation at the UPC.

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What’s the origin of infringement actions at the UPC?

17 July 2024

Matthew Howell takes a look at where the claimants in UPC infringement actions are based, and the areas of technology they are protecting.

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UPC Unpacked: Issue 3

19 June 2024

In Issue 3 of UPC Unpacked, our UPC experts delve into preliminary injunction and UP applications over the last 12 months, and how to get your your EP fit for UPC litigation.

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Preliminary injunction applications: What themes are emerging in the first 12 months of the UPC?

19 June 2024

A powerful tool for patentees, but what practical issues can impact their success?

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First year reflections: Adding colour to the numbers

19 June 2024

Adoption of both the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court has been strong. But what lies behind the numbers?

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UPC Unpacked: Issue 2

15 May 2024

Discover what to expect in a UPC litigation, how it differs from an EPO opposition proceeding, and guidance on Unitary Patent validations.

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Proceedings at the UPC: How to prepare and what to expect

15 May 2024

Practical tips on how to prepare for actions before the UPC, and what you can expect once proceedings have started.

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How does UPC litigation compare to EPO opposition proceedings?

15 May 2024

A brief comparative guide to EPO opposition and UPC revocation proceedings, that outlines the key features of each procedure to give you a side-by-side comparison.

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UPC Unpacked: Issue 1

17 April 2024

Valuable insights from our EPC experts, who unpack learnings from what’s been happening at the Unified Patent Court.

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The UPC Court of Appeal's first decision: What does it mean for the assessment of inventive step at the UPC?

17 April 2024

Joseph Lenthall explores the first decision from the UPC’s Court of Appeal overturning a preliminary injunction, and the implications for future patent validity assessments in Europe.

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Opting out of the UPC: Cautionary tales

17 April 2024

Why is it of critical importance to get your opts outs right at the UPC? Some early decisions from the UPC are cautionary tales.

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What can we learn from the first six months?

22 December 2023

For many, 2023 was the year of the Unified Patent Court, but what do the first six months tell us? HLK’s Matthew Howell, UK and European patent attorney, has looked beyond the data to pull out six key insights.

Watch his 2-minute takeaway videos for key messages emerging from the Court’s first six months of activity.

The Unified Patent Court at six months

11 December 2023

After its delayed start on 1 June 2023, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has now been in operation for six months. We have delved into the statistics and early decisions of the UPC to see what we can learn from these first six months. While it is unwise to draw too many conclusions from a relatively small dataset, some clear messages are emerging.

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Enforcement of Unified Patent Court Decisions

5 October 2023

UPC decisions, and orders such as those discussed here, may be enforced across several countries. In cases relating to unitary patents, decisions and orders may be enforceable across all 17 contracting member states constituting the current territory covered by the UPC. In cases relating to traditional (non-unitary) European patents, decisions and orders may be enforceable in the contracting member states in which the validation has been performed (up to the full 17 contracting states). Various key aspects of the enforcement process are discussed below.

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Direct and contributory infringement at the UPC

13 September 2023

The Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) includes provisions defining the acts which a third party can be prevented from performing in respect of a patent. These provisions cover both ‘direct’ infringement of the patent (Art. 25 UPCA: “Right to prevent the direct use of the invention”) and ‘indirect’ infringement (Art. 26 UPCA: “Right to prevent the indirect use of the invention”).

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Alternative dispute resolution and the Unified Patent Court 

25 August 2023

Key points  

• The Unified Patent Court requires all litigation to be dealt with in a proportionate manner, including consideration of methods of alternative dispute resolution where appropriate.  
• Parties may, at any time in the course of proceedings in the Unified Patent Court, conclude their case by way of settlement.  

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EPO decisions that can be challenged in the UPC

15 August 2023

As part of the package of measures introduced to bring the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and Unitary Patent (UP) into effect, the European Patent Office (EPO) has been entrusted with a number of administrative tasks relating to Unitary Patents, including administering requests for UPs and ensuring that such requests are submitted in the correct language and within the correct time period.

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Preliminary Injunctions and Seizure Orders at the Unified Patents Court

26 July 2023

Key points

• The Unified Patents Court (UPC) may grant a range of provisional remedies, including preliminary injunctions and orders for the seizure or delivery up of products.
• The UPC may grant either remedy after hearing both the parties or without hearing the defendant (ex parte) in specified circumstances.

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Provisional Measures at the Unified Patent Court

21 July 2023

Provisional, or protective, measures are court orders which may be granted for the benefit of a patentee against an alleged infringer prior to the commencement of an infringement action. Provisional measures may be used, for example, to preserve evidence or protect a patentee from harm prior to proceedings.

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Protective Letters at the UPC – protecting against surprise injunctions

14 July 2023

A patentee may apply to the UPC for provisional measures against an alleged infringer before an infringement action has been brought or decided. The patentee may request an injunction, the seizure of allegedly infringing goods, and the freezing of the defendant’s bank accounts and assets. The patentee may request that the Court grants these measures without first hearing the defendant.

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Languages at the Unified Patent Court

7 July 2023

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is an international court for handling disputes relating to European patents. At the time of writing, the UPC has locations in 15 different EU member states and serves 17 EU member states, which, between them, have 18 different official languages. Furthermore, European patents can be granted in either English, German or French.

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UP & UPC: Legal and Documentary Considerations

16 June 2023

The UPC and Unitary Patent (UP) have now come into effect.

There are a number of important decisions that need to be made by patent holders in relation to their portfolios including, but not limited to (i) opt ins and outs (ii) ownership and registration (iii) applicable law to existing and future patent applications.

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Litigation at the Unified Patent Court – Getting the Right Representatives

9 June 2023

Now that the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has opened its doors, prospective users of the Court (both patent proprietors and potential defendants) will be considering who should represent them in proceedings at the UPC.

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Actions for Infringement of a Patent at the Unified Patent Court: An Overview

2 June 2023

This update is intended to provide an overview of actions for infringement of a patent at the Unified Patent Court.

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English now a language of proceedings in all Local Regional Divisions except Milan

1 June 2023

On 1 June 2023, the day that the Unified Patent Court has come into effect, the Court also announced that English will now be a language of proceedings at the Local Divisions in France (Paris) and Germany (Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Mannheim, Munich). Parties are therefore now able to bring actions at these Local Divisions in English and to plead in English at trial.

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Actions for Revocation of a Patent at the Unified Patent Court: An Overview

26 May 2023

This update is intended to provide you with an overview of action for revocation at the Unified Patent Court.

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English is a UPC language of proceedings except in France, Germany and Italy

22 May 2023

The UPC has confirmed the languages for the 1^st instance Local and Regional Divisions. As expected, the Regional Division covering Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia has adopted English as its language of proceedings.

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Unified Patent Court - Composition, Judges and Languages

19 May 2023

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) will be made up of a Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal and the European Court of Justice, which is to be used for questions EU law only. As shown on the diagram below, the first instance court is made up of the central division, which will be based in Paris and Munich (and Milan in the future too), and various local and regional divisions.

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UPC Case Management System and Opt Out APIs Unavailable from 31 May (9AM CET) - 1 June (9AM CET)

17 May 2023

Earlier today, the UPC issued a notice (see here) indicating that the UPC Case Management System (CMS) and opt out APIs will be unavailable from 9AM CET on 31 May until 9AM CET on 1 June. The notice suggests that no batch opt-out requests should be filed after 16:00 CET on 30 May. The period for filing opt out requests has therefore been effectively shortened by at least 15 hours, longer if the suggested deadline batch opt out requests is followed.

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UPC Confirms Reallocation of Central Division Actions to Paris and Munich

16 May 2023

In a long-awaited decision, the UPC has today (16 May 2023) announced that actions in the Central Division relating to patents in International Patent Classification (IPC) section A (Human Necessities) will be assigned to the Central Division in Paris, while actions in the Central Division relating to patents in IPC section C (Chemistry) will be handled by the Central Division in Munich.

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Key Features of Litigation at the UPC

11 May 2023

This update is intended to provide you with an overview of the litigation process, as envisaged, at the Unified Patent Court when it goes “live” on 1 June 2023.

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The UPC Sunrise Period: How it’s Going So Far

31 March 2023

Today (31 March 2023) is the last day of the first month of the UPC sunrise period, so now is a good time to take stock of how things have been going at the UPC.

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The Sunrise Period Begins Today

1 March 2023

The UPC Sunrise Period begins today, 1 March 2023, following Germany’s deposit of its instrument of ratification of the UPC Agreement on 17 February 2023.

The Sunrise Period will last for three months.

During this period, European patent holders and applicants can opt their European patents and European patent applications out of the exclusive jurisdiction of the UPC before the Court opens for business on 1 June 2023.

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Wake up to the Sun! Germany Deposits Instrument of Ratification of the UPC Agreement

17 February 2023

Germany has today deposited its instrument of ratification of the UPC Agreement, triggering the start of the Sunrise Period for the Unified Patent Court (UPC).

The Sunrise Period will begin on 1 March 2023 and will last for three months.

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EPO Confirms Transitional Measures for Unitary Patent will be Available from 1 January 2023

7 December 2022

Following the announcement earlier this week that the expected start date of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has been pushed back to 1 June 2023, the European Patent Office (EPO) has confirmed that its transitional measures in relation to the Unitary Patent (UP) will be available from 1 January 2023 as originally planned.

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Start of the Sunrise Period has been Postponed by Two Months

5 December 2022

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) has just announced that the start of the sunrise period has been postponed for two months. The sunrise period is now expected to start on 1 March 2023, and the Unitary Patent and UPC are expected to come into effect on 1 June 2023.

This delay gives European patent applicants and proprietors some extra time to prepare for the new system.

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UPC Takes Another Step Forward with the Appointment of Judges

20 October 2022

Preparations for the launch of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) have taken another step forward, with the announcement of the appointment of judges and the composition of its Presidium. A total of 87 judges have been appointed. They will take up their new role when the UPC Agreement comes into effect.

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Unified Patent Court Update: 1 April 2023 Start Date Announced

10 October 2022

A road map for the final stages of the preparations for the launch of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has just been published.

The key date is 1 April 2023, when the UPC Agreement will enter into force and the Court will open for business.  Unitary Patents (UPs) will also be available from this date.

It is expected that Germany will deposit its instrument of ratification in December 2022, and the sunrise period for opting European patents and patent applications out of the jurisdiction of the UPC in advance will begin on 1 January 2023.

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UPC Opt Outs: Portfolio Strategy

30 August 2022

We considered the factors which may help you decide whether to opt out an individual patent in our earlier article. However, there is also a wider question of opt out strategy across your EP portfolio.  

There are three basic strategies available: 

1. Opt out all of your EP cases; 
2. Do NOT opt out any EP cases; or 
3. A hybrid approach, opting out selected cases.  

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UPC Opt Outs: Yes or No?

23 August 2022

In anticipation of the Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC), European patent owners should be considering whether or not to opt out their existing and future European patents and applications from the jurisdiction of the UPC. 

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UPC Glossary

23 August 2022

With the launch of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the Unitary Patent (UP) fast approaching, there is a large amount of new terminology to get to grips with, which can be initially confusing. In this blog, we take a look at some of the common terms and phrases relating to the UPC and UP system and break down what they mean. Terms in italics are also defined in this Glossary. 

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The Unified Patent Court Moves One Step Closer

17 July 2022

The UPC has moved one step closer following a meeting of the Administrative Council on 8 July.

The UPC’s Rules of Procedure and Table of Fees were adopted at the meeting and will come into effect on 1 September 2022. The final Rules of Procedure will be published in the coming weeks, before they come into effect.

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UK-based European Patent Attorneys able to Represent Parties at the UPC

24 March 2022

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) Administrative Committee has confirmed that many UK-based European patent attorneys will be able to represent parties at the UPC. With a team boasting experienced patent attorneys and litigators, HLK will therefore be ideally placed to represent parties in UPC litigation.

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The Period of Provisional Application of the UPC Agreement has Started

The Period of Provisional Application of the UPC Agreement has Started.

The European Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court – Overview and Decision Points

13 January 2022

After years of delay caused by legal challenges in Germany to ratification of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (also known as the “UPC Agreement” or “UPCA”), the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the European Unitary Patent (UP) is set to come into effect in April 2023.

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