On 1 June 2023, the EU regulations governing the Unitary Patent and the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court entered into force, opening up a new route to patent protection. Unitary effect applies only in participating EU Member States that have ratified the Agreement. As of today, 17 EU Member States participate in the system.
Although the Czech Republic has not yet ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPC), the Unitary Patent/UPC system may also affect applicants and patent holders based in the Czech Republic who hold a granted European patent or have filed a European patent application.