Enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection: implementation; translation arrangements

The Council exchanged views at a public session on the creation of unitary patent protection.  The outcome of the debate provides a political orientation for the implementation of enhanced cooperation among 25 Member States towards the creation of a unitary patent title.

It paves the way for further work with a view to reaching a general approach at the extraordinary Competitiveness Council meeting devoted to unitary patent protection in Luxembourg on 27 June 2011.

The debate was conducted on the basis of a Presidency compromise text, following the two proposals submitted by the Commission on 13 April with provisions to implement enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection:

• the first proposal prescribes how patent holders can obtain European patents with unitary effect that ensures uniform protection for their invention;
• the second proposal contains the translation arrangements.