UPC's former London Central Division competences to be reallocated between Paris, Munich and Milan
Published on 3rd Jul 2023
The provisional Paris-Munich competence split will continue until the new agreement comes into force in June 2024
On 26 June 2023, the Administrative Committee of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) issued a decision to amend the UPC Agreement to formally designate a Central Division section in Milan, replacing the former London section and joining the Central Division's seat in Paris and a section in Munich.
The competences of the former London section of the Central Division have been reallocated, each location will cover:
- Milan section – International Patent Classification (IPC) section (A) (human necessities (not including supplementary protection certificates (SPCs))
- Paris seat – IPC sections (B) (performing operations, transporting), (D) (textiles, paper), (E) (fixed constructions), (G) (physics), (H) (electricity), and all SPCs, regardless of whether the relevant medicinal product falls in section (A) or section (C)
- Munich section – IPC sections (C) (chemistry, metallurgy (not including SPCs)) and (F) (mechanical engineering, lighting, heating, weapons, blasting)
Osborne Clarke comment
Although the Administrative Committee's decision entered into force on 26 June 2023, it will not take effect until 26 June 2024. This twelve-month period is designed to allow UPC contracting Member States to declare if they do not wish to be bound by the decision. The current provisional allocation of competences between Paris and Munich will continue until the decision takes effect but preparatory works for Milan's opening will begin immediately.
