Universities and small businesses embrace unitary patent

Almost two years after the European Union introduced the unitary patent, adoption by Europe’s small businesses and universities is running ahead of expectations. More than 57% of patents granted in this sector in 2024 requested unitary patent protection, which covers 18 EU member states in a single application, writes Martin Greenacre for Science|Business.

According to the latest figures from the European Patent Office (EPO), unitary protection was requested for 25.6% of all European patents it granted in 2024, and for 36.5% of patents owned by European organisations. The number of requests in the first two years has “exceeded all expectations”, said EPO spokesperson Luis Berenguer. Earlier this month, the EPO reached 50,000 requests.

According to Paul England, senior counsel at international law firm Taylor Wessing, the rate of uptake by universities and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) is “exceptional” and represents “a big vote of confidence” in the unitary patent. “It is also a very positive reflection on the Unified Patent Court itself, because these patents can only be enforced and defended in this new court,” England told Science|Business .
Full report on the Science|Business site