This page features news articles about the field of Intellectual Property, for example about the Unitary patent or other law changes, and news articles about Vriesendorp & Gaade.
Start Sunrise period UPC
The 'Sunrise' period for the 'Unified Patent Court' (UPC) started today (March 1, 2023) and runs until June 1, 2023. During this period you can submit opt-outs for your existing European patents and delay the grant of your European patent applications. From... read more
Sunrise of the Unitary Patent: decision time!
[UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2023:] It has been confirmed that the UPC will open its doors on June 1, 2023. The Sunrise period will start March 1, 2023. As it stands, we might have a new type of European patent soon (2023) in addition to the existing European... read more
Dutch Patent Office announces to refuse previously published “re-used” patent applications
The Dutch Patent Office (DPO) has recently announced that, from September 1, 2022, it will refuse previously published "re-used" patent applications. From mid-2021, the DPO has been confronted with an influx of national patent applications that turn... read more
Germany gives the Unitary Patent the go-ahead
The German parliament has re-approved the necessary legislation to ratify the Unified Patent Court (UPC) agreement, after recently rejecting constitutional objections to the treaty. The Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA or UPC Agreement) is important... read more
Germany and the UPC: history repeating itself?
On December 18, 2020, the German parliament again approved the necessary legislation for ratifying the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA), now with the required two-third majority, one of the stumbling blocks of the previous ratification. On the same... read more
UK withdraws Unitary Patent ratification while Germany attempts ratification again
After the German constitutional court declared the German ratification of the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) void earlier this year, the German government is now preparing a second ratification bill to be rushed through the ratification process... read more
Continuity of services during corona crisis
First of all our thoughts are with the people and businesses in the Netherlands and abroad who are currently being affected by COVID-19. We assure you that Vriesendorp & Gaade has taken measures to ensure the continuity of our services during this... read more
Germany puts a hold on Unitary Patent
On 20 March 2020, the German Federal Constitutional Court ruled against the approval of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPC). German approval was necessary for the Unitary patent to take effect. According to the court, approval of the Agreement... read more
United Kingdom backs out of Unitary Patent
Since the Brexit referendum of June 2016, there has been an extensive debate within the field of Intellectual Property whether the United Kingdom could still participate in the Unitary Patent post-Brexit, as the Unitary Patent would always be subject... read more
Post-Brexit IP: what to prepare for?
It has been almost a year since our last update on the politics surrounding the Unitary Patent. The situation remains unchanged. However, the Brexit seems to be nearing a critical stage. A potential 2020 Brexit may trigger a series of events in the near... read more