European Union Patent

The European Union patent (EU patent), formally European Patent with unitary effect, also known as the Community patent, European Community Patent, or EC patent and sometimes abbreviated as COMPAT, is a proposed patent legislation in the European Union, which would allow individuals and companies to obtain a unitary patent throughout the European Union, with the exception of Spain and Italy. During the European Council of 28–29 June 2012, agreement was reached on its provisions between 25 of the 27 member states of the European Union. Italy and Spain had decided not to take part as a result of the proposed language scheme, which uses English, German and French at the exclusion of other languages.

The proposed EU patent is closely related, but different from the European patent, which is granted under the 38-state European Patent Convention. European patents, once granted, become a "bundle of nationally enforceable patents", in the states which are designated by the applicant. The EU patent would, once established, be designated after granting of the European patent, with validity in all participating countries. The system reduces translation requirements (by focusing on the three languages of the European patent: German, English and French), maintenance fees (with a single fee for the whole area) and provides for judicial procedures for a court with effect in all countries.