The Presidency recalled the statement made on 30 January by the Heads of State or Government of the Member States participating in the enhanced cooperation for the creation of unitary patent protection in which they committed to reaching a final agreement on the last outstanding issue in the patent package in June 2012 at the latest.
The Presidency highlighted the significant benefits that the new system will provide to European companies in terms of innovation potential, economic savings and legal certainty, and committed itself to striving to facilitate a final compromise.
Several delegations and the Commission urged the finalisation of a draft agreement by Member States for establishing a Unified Patent Court.
Last December the Council and the Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the two draft regulations implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of unitary patent protection (COD/2011/0093).
The third pillar of the patent system, the creation of a Unified Patent Court that would judge patent litigation cases, is still pending final agreement on the seat of the Court.