Which states are in the UPC & where will a UP have effect?

See our summary of who's currently in and who's out of the UP/UPC system below.

• IN: UPC participating Member States that have ratified the UPCA in respect of the non-opted out EPs of which the UPC will have jurisdiction and UPs will have effect (18):  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden. 
• SIGNED: UPC participating EU Member States that have signed but not yet ratified the UPCA - the UPC will have no jurisdiction over each of them until each fully ratifies, and UPs granted prior to each's ratification will not have effect there (6): Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, [Romania – see above], Slovakia.
• OUT: EU Member States which are not participating in the UPC (3) – Spain, Poland, Croatia.
• OUT: Non-EU EPC states (not part of the UPC/UP system): Albania, Iceland, Macedonia, Norway, Turkey, Switzerland, Serbia, and the UK.

See the table produced by the Council of Europe which shows which have signed and which states have then ratified (with dates) the UPCA. See also the diagrams on the UPC website home page. 

The vast majority of  EU Member States participated in the enhanced cooperation procedure to establish the unitary patent via Regulation 1257/2012 of 17 December 2012 (the UP Regulation), including the UK which was then a member of the EU, but has now withdrawn). However, even if they participated in the enhanced cooperation, unless these EU member states have also ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA), a unitary patent (UP) will not be effective in their jurisdictions as the UPC is the only enforcement mechanism available for the UP. For example, Poland participated in the UP Regulation but has not signed the UPCA and so a UP will not have effect there; nor will it have effect in Croatia or Spain which have not signed the UPCA or participated in the UP.  Since the UK is not in the UPC system (nor in the EU), UPs do not have effect in the UK either.

NB A UP will only ever have effect in the EU Member States that have both ratified the UPCA and taken part in the UP Regulation at the time that particular patent's unitary status is registered.
A UP granted on the first day the UPC (1 June 2023) and any granted in the intervening period up to and including 30 August 2024  only has effect in the 17 states that had fully ratified the UPCA up to date, and taken part in the UP Regulation (see above minus Romania which did not complete ratification until 1 September 2024). Those UPs granted unitary effect from 1 September 2024 will also cover Romania. 

EU Member States where the UP does not apply (given the current state of UP participation and UPCA ratification):

• Spain – has declined involvement in UP or UPC and has challenged the use of the enhanced cooperation procedure to establish the UP and the language regime at the Court of Justice of the European Union which rejected both attempts.
• Poland – participated in enhanced cooperation establishing the UP but has said it will not sign the UPC (for now), thus a UP will not be enforceable in Poland since enforcement can only occur via the UPC.
• Croatia – has not agreed to the UP enhanced procedure or signed the UPC Agreement.
• The states which have signed the UPCA but have not yet ratified: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Slovakia. Hungary and the Czech Republic have both expressed doubts over fully ratifying the UPC Agreement and Ireland has confirmed that it will require a national referendum before it can fully ratify and that this may take place in 2023 or 2024.
• Romania – if the UP was granted unitary effect before 1 September 2024 
• Non-EU EPC member states which are not eligible to be signatories of the UPC Agreement, although they are European Patent Convention (EPC) signatories and are options for EP designations, eg  Norway, Turkey, Switzerland and the UK. Whilst it was originally a party to the UPCA and
• took part in the Unitary Patent enhanced procedure, the UK has withdrawn from the UPC system (and the EU) and UPs will not cover the UK.
   
• See also on this hub: How to get a Unitary Patent
• For more on the UPC and unitary patent see our series of feature articles published in PLC Magazine's March and April editions 2022 and shared in pdf form on our IP blog here.
• SEE MORE ON OUR UPC AND UP HUB
  • Hub home page & How we can help
  • The UPC & UP – an introduction
  • UPC court structure
  • UPC: Jurisdiction and opt-out
  • Which states are in the UPC and where will a UP have effect
  • The UPC Rules of Procedure
  • How to get a UP 
  • UPC Court fees
  • Impact of UPC and UP on patent portfolios, co-ownership and licensing
  • UPC: mediation and arbitration
  • Key documents (legislation and agreements)
  • Costs