Two and a half years have passed since the EPO (European Patent Office) introduced the European Unitary Patent System on June 1, 2023, and the total number of European Unitary Patents granted has now reached more than 75,000.
The European Unitary Patent System allows applicants to automatically obtain patent protection in 18 EU member states, saving around 26,000 euros in annuity costs over the average 12-year patent life compared to obtaining a patent in each country individually.
The European Unitary Patent, which combines cost reduction and procedural simplification, is rapidly gaining popularity among European small and medium-sized enterprises, universities and public research institutions, and there are plans to expand the system to all EU member states (27 countries).