The European Commission proposed a consolidation of the current 28 patent courts throughout the EU into one, unified patent court in a measure to streamline patent litigation and potentially promote innovation, say reports. In a press release offered last Monday, the regulator planned the so-called Unified Patent Court to simplify the process of companies protecting their patents by first updating legislative rules on the recognition of judgments. In a statement, Internal Market and Services Commissioner Michel Barnier described the process as vital for “Europe’s competitiveness.” The regulator’s press release highlighted the complexity of the EU’s current patent litigation process, comparing the 224,000 patents granted in the US in 2011 compared with the 62,000 granted in the same time within the EU. The proposal remains subject to approval by each of the 28 Member States as well as European Parliament.

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