Assessing the new European patent package: Newport, here we come!

Not everything to do with the new European patent package revolves round London and other major conurbations in which patent litigators tend to congregate -- and here's the proof.  "The Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court: An Assessment and Outlook”, a seminar talk by Dr Thomas Jaeger, will take place at the University of South Wales (Newport City Campus) on 17 July 2014, 10.30 am to 12 noon. Attendance is free of charge, but you still have to register by emailing Ana Ramalho at ana.ramalho@southwales.ac.uk

Here's an abstract of the talk, in case you're interested: 

“The EU’s patent package enacted in 2012/13 ended a decade-long dispute whether an EU patent was needed and how cross-border patent enforcement could be made more effective. One would expect that the outcome of such a long debate should incorporate an optimal system. However, the contrary seems to be the case: Compromises successively introduced for legal and political reasons significantly altered the shape of the package as compared to the original plans. The substantive patent now envisaged is a strangely hybrid and, upon closer examination, deficient legal title. Likewise, the patent court as it is now designed neither seems to remedy key deficits of current cross-border enforcement, nor does it provide sufficient legal certainty and equal opportunities for potential users.

This lecture seeks to inform about the current state of affairs for the package. It will start with a brief outline of the substantive and structural elements of the patent package, then venture into a by a discussion of its principal shortcomings and close with an outlook and assessment on the pitfalls still ahead until the package may become operable”.