Uniting Stars: Romania Joins the European Patent Galaxy

Since its launch on June 1, 2023, the European patent with unitary effect only covers the 17 countries among the 25 member states that have signed and ratified the UPC Agreement (UPCA), namely the following: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden.

Following the deposit of its instrument of ratification of the UPC Agreement on May 31, 2024, Romania will be added to the list of aforementioned states very shortly.

Indeed, starting from September 1, 2024, the unitary effect will extend to Romania. This territorial expansion will not be retroactive and will apply solely to European patents granted and validated with unitary effect from that date onward.

To enable applicants to benefit from this expansion promptly, the EPO is offering the option to defer the registration of the unitary effect to a date after September 1, 2024, upon request. This request must be submitted alongside the application for unitary effect within one month following the grant.

Our intellectual property experts and advisors are here to keep you informed and help you navigate your strategy for protecting your innovations. For guidance and support, please reach out to them at contact@alatis.eu.