The UK government used the occasion of World IP Day yesterday to ratify the Unitary Patent Agreement. The aim of this pan-European agreement is to bring into being the Unified Patent Court (UPC), which will unify patent enforcement and litigation across much of Europe and provide an opportunity for patent applicants to obtain a unitary European patent right.UK ratification of the Agreement is a significant step forward for the project, which is expected to simplify and reduce the cost of the enforcement of patents throughout the EU and is widely supported by industry bodies and the legal profession. However, significant questions remain over whether the Agreement will actually come into force with a challenge to the legality of the system pending in the German courts and questions remaining over the effect of Brexit on the system. We can only wait to find out whether the next World IP Day will see us celebrating the launch of this new chapter in the world of patents.If you have any questions about the UPC please contact Caroline Warren – [email protected]