Consultation on the seat of the Central Division of the future Unified Patent Court

On 18 June 2012, the French industrial property community unveiled, in Paris, the results of the public consultation which it had launched on the organisation of the seat of the future European Patent Court's Central Division, with a view to the possible location of this Division in Paris.

The French organisations representing all those concerned with industrial property (companies, IP specialists, patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law), with the agreement of the French Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) and the support of Judges in Paris specialised in industrial property, launched, in May 2012, a consultation with the professionals concerned with the seat of the European Patent Court. The decision on its future (and on the location of the Central Division) is to be made before the end of the Danish EU Presidency at the next European Council on 28 and 29 June 2012.

2 145 persons from 54 countries and five continents responded, in descending order: Germany (23.7%), France (23.3%) and the UK (13%); they are mainly working as patent attorneys (52.8%), company IP specialists (29%) and attorneys-at-law (11.5%).

The breakdown of the responses by language is 48% in English, 27% in French and 25% in German. They reflect the actual perception of the professionals who have an interest in the functioning of a European Patent Court.

The main legal rules governing the organisation, the jurisdiction and the functioning of this future Court are laid down in the international draft Agreement which could be adopted at the end of June; and the Rules of Procedure which the Court will apply were prepared under the aegis of the European Commission.

The respondents were therefore asked questions on the material organisation of the Central Division.

The questions related to the hearing schedule (hearing days, periods when hearings should not be held) as well as the premises to host this Division.

The respondents expressed their point of view about the proximity of the airport or the city centre, a good public transport network, the proximity of hotels, a railway station with high-speed trains, the size of the city (megalopolis) and the proximity of a business district.

They also expressed their wishes as to the facilities suitable for the efficient functioning of the Central Division, in particular its hearing rooms.

To download the executive summary (PDF), please click here