Italy: UPC Administrative Committee Unanimously Approves Milan As The Third Seat Of The Central Division

At the meeting of June 26, 2023, the Administrative Committee of the Unified Patent Court has decided to set up the third seat of the Central Division in Milan.

Importantly, the timeline for the new seat to be operational has also been agreed, with the Milan seat expected to be up and running in one year, to allow for all formalities under the agreement to be complied with.

This is the press release issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately after the meeting of the Administrative Committee:

The Administrative Committee of the Unified Patent Court today unanimously decided to proceed with the establishment of the Milan section of the Central Division of the UPC.

"It is a significant result for Italy", said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tajani. "A result that confirms the central role of Italy, Milan and Lombardy in the promotion and protection of innovation and intellectual property in Europe and in the world".

The decision of the Administrative Committee successfully completes the long and complex diplomatic work carried out jointly by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy and in agreement with the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan.

The Milan seat will judge patent disputes in crucial sectors for Europe and for Italy such as the pharmaceutical, phytosanitary, agri-food and fashion sectors.

The Government is already working to make the Milan seat fully operational within the time frame set by the Agreement (12 months pursuant to art.87.3).

Class A of the International Patent Classification, which will be under the competence of the Milan seat, named "human necessities", covers technologies in numerous industrial fields, such as the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, the agricultural industry, the food industry, the tobacco industry, the home appliances industry, the clothing industry, the wood and furniture industry, the fire-fighting industry, the sports and gaming industry. A detailed list is available here.

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