New EU Patent System Could Unify and Simplify Process

Europe's new unitary patent system and a flurry of AV legislation could be a boon to innovators.

To engineers who are developing autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies, the legal landscape around innovation can look increasingly complex. And the patent path may seem daunting. But advances to simplify the process are on the way, beginning with the introduction of a European unitary patent system that “promises to considerably simplify the current patent system,” says Stuart Latham, partner and patent attorney at Withers & Rogers, one of Europe's largest firms specializing in intellectual property.

Under the new system, businesses will be able to apply for a single unitary patent spanning all EU member states that opt to introduce the new system without the need to validate the patent at jurisdictional level. Latham said this “could provide a cost-effective way to secure commercial protection across the EU, allowing time for markets and regulatory environments to continue to evolve.”