France: Patent

As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) grows across the IP profession, expectations are rising for AI solutions that not only deliver accuracy and efficiency but also better support routine IP workflows, such as patent search and analysis.

The Paris Central Division of the Unified Patent Court has ruled on whether declaration of non-infringement actions can be filed against European patent applications before formal grant. This decision addresses the intersection of UPC jurisdiction, opt-out rights, and the timing requirements for initiating legal proceedings in the unified patent system.

Translation automation is a no-brainer. We are all looking for ways to use AI to improve the quality of a wide range of outputs. Everyone in today’s economy, for one reason or another, is facing budget constraints...

The Unified Patent Court's Court of Appeal examines critical questions of patent validity, including whether omitting disclosed features constitutes added matter when functional or structural links exist, and how technical effects factor into determining essential features for inventive step analysis. The decision also addresses procedural boundaries for raising new legal arguments on appeal.

In the latest round of the Merz v Viatris dispute over the alleged infringement of Merz’s MS drug dosing regime patent (drug brand name Fampyra), the UPC Paris Local Division...

A recent order from the Paris Central Division of the Unified Patent Court establishes that parties may file UPC actions before the grant of underlying European patents, creating new strategic considerations for patent proprietors considering opt-outs. The decision in Omnia Technologies v Sidel Participations demonstrates how timing of opt-out requests has become critical, as the court found jurisdiction even when patents were not yet granted at the time of filing.

Novagraaf serves as a comprehensive partner for intellectual property strategy, protection, and defense. The firm offers expert guidance through monthly newsletters, webinars, and exclusive content to help clients navigate the complexities of IP management and enforcement.

With a team of 100+ IP and technology professionals, Scitech works with corporations, law firms, and R&D organizations worldwide to deliver data-driven insights across prior art, patent analytics, and innovation strategy. To support this mission, Scitech uses Orbit Intelligence, Questel’s AI-powered patent search and analytics platform.

For decades, a key hurdle facing patent and trademark professionals has been managing the repetitive and labor-intensive administrative tasks of data entry, document classification, and IP search. Fortunately, our new era of tech-empowered legal practice is unlocking new possibilities for attorneys, replacing the burden of manual docketing, boosting productivity across IP workflows, and freeing them to play a more strategic role.