U.K.'s ‘Hard Brexit’ Plans May Undermine Patent Court

By Peter Leung, Bloomberg BNA

The U.K.'s plan to join the proposed Europe-wide patent court could run into conflict with Prime Minister Theresa May’s desire to leave the jurisdiction of the European Union’s highest court.

May’s Jan. 17 speech promised to “bring an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in Britain.”

However, decisions by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) will be binding on the Unified Patent Court (UPC).

May’s speech highlights the fact that the fate of the UPC is closely intertwined with the complex negotiations over the U.K.'s withdrawal from the EU. ...