European Commission backs down over Patent Court

The commission, reports Legal Week, has agreed to consult on the plans, which are backed by an array of top European intellectual property judges, including Lord Hoffmann and Lord Justice Jacob. Questionnaires have been sent out by the commission to a wide range of IP practitioners and organisations across Europe, calling for feedback on the blueprint, dubbed the European Patent Litigation Agreement. The EPLA proposes the establishment of a unified European court to hear appeals from eight local ‘sub-courts’ in certain key jurisdictions. Full Legal Week report