Posts Tagged: "German Federal Constitutional Court"

Death at a Funeral – or Birth? Why the German Court’s Decision on the UPC May Not be the End

n Friday, March 20, the German Constitutional Court (“Bundesverfassungsgericht”, “BverfG”) declared Germany’s approval legislation of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPC) unconstitutional. Those who have gone into full mourning over this decision, calling it the death knell of the UPC, may find the coffin to be far from shut. Instead, the UPC may have been given a second lease on life, and those with substantive concerns about the UPC may end up wearing the black ribbon in the long run.

Christian Liedtke

March 24, 2020

German Decision Puts Unified Patent Court Agreement in Jeopardy

Judges in Germany have dealt what may be a fatal blow to the project to create a Unified Patent Court (UPC) in Europe. In a decision published today, the German Federal Constitutional Court said the Act of the Approval of the UPC Agreement was void. (BVerfG, Beschluss des Zweiten Senats vom 13. February 2020 – 2 BvR 739/17 -, Rn. (1-21).) The Act of Approval was passed unanimously by the Second Chamber of the Bundestag but only about 35 members were present. The Court said that a two-thirds majority of the Bundestag was required.

James Nurton

March 20, 2020

Germany Suspends Requirement of Presidential Signature for Formal Ratification of UPC Agreement

Effective June 11, 2017, the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany has agreed to suspend the Presidential signature required for formal ratification of the UPC Agreement. This suspension will remain in place until the German Federal Constitutional Court (“Bundesverfassungsgericht”) has reached a decision in the ongoing expedited proceedings relating to an action (“Verfassungsbeschwerde”) challenging the ratification.

Matthias Weiden

June 22, 2017