Unitary Patents will make it possible to get patent protection in up to 25 EU Member States by submitting a single request to the EPO. This one-time validation will reduce the costs of validating and translating the EP patent.
Currently, 17 states are ready for the system to come into force on June 1, 2023.
However, it is already possible since 1st January 2023 to request in advance a request for unitary effect and to request the postponement of the grant of the patent after the entry into force of the new system. This transitional measure is available for European patent applications that have reached the final phase of the grant procedure (notification according to the R71 (3) sent).