The 2026 Unitary Patent Guidelines introduce refinements across nearly all sections, improving procedural clarity and legal detail as confidence grows in the UPC system.
A look back at four landmark 2025 UPC decisions shaping jurisdiction, description amendments, doctrine of equivalents and inventive step as 2026 developments unfold.
The Unitary Patent system includes a €500 reimbursement for translation costs for eligible EU applicants filing in non-EPO languages, helping reduce costs despite UPC language limitations.
From 1 January 2026, the UPC has increased its court fees by around 33%, with an additional 10% increase for Court of Appeal value-based fees, reflecting inflation and operational needs.
The UPC Court of Appeal has clarified its inventive step framework. We compare the UPC’s approach with the EPO’s Problem-Solution analysis, highlighting key similarities and differences.
An analysis of how the EPO Boards of Appeal and the UPC Munich Local Division assessed inventive step for Sanofi’s cabazitaxel patent and why they reached opposite outcomes in parallel proceedings
Boult represented Molecular Instruments (MI) before the Hague Local Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
The UPC Court of Appeal has validated Amgen’s PCSK9 antibody patent and clarified its inventive step and medical-use claim approach, bringing UPC practice closer to the EPO.
Your EP patent is granted – now choose between a Unitary Patent or standard validation. Compare coverage, costs, risks and enforcement to pick the right strategy.
The UPC Central Division confirms the EPO’s approach to inventive step, highlighting the importance of identifying realistic starting points and applying a holistic assessment.
