Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
A local division of the Unified Patent Court will be established in Ireland, providing the judicial system for patent protection in up to 25 EU member states.
The Unified Patent Court is part of a package of measures designed to make patenting of inventions and protection for those patents in Europe more streamlined, cost effective and to provide greater choice for European businesses.
“I am delighted to announce that we will establish a local division of the Unified Patent Court in Ireland, in the event that the international agreement is ratified,” says Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
“This new court is an important boost for innovation in Ireland. It will mean that businesses involved in innovation activities will be able to resolve disputes over patents locally, more cheaply and more easily than before.
“It will have many other benefits, including the development of a wider pool of innovation-related skills in Ireland, and will also act as a support for businesses seeking to carry out R&D activities in Ireland. SMEs stand to benefit in particular, as the costs involved in enforcing intellectual property rights impact smaller businesses disproportionately and can act as a barrier to them engaging in R&D activities.
“All this means that this decision will have a positive impact on supporting innovation activity – and ultimately job-creation – in Ireland”.
