The much-anticipated new case management system (CMS) of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), which has been developed in collaboration with the European Patent Office, has gone live this week. Users can now access the new CMS as of July 8.
The rollout of the new CMS will occur in two phases. During the first phase, users can only file opt-out and representative registration requests. Accordingly, the existing CMS must still be used to file cases, applications, and protective letters. The second phase, in which the new CMS will be fully operational and replace the old system entirely, is scheduled for September 2025.
With the introduction of the new CMS, the UPC is transitioning from the previous workflow-based approach to a more flexible system. Additionally, user authentication will no longer require a physical device such as an electronic signature card, since a software-based multifactor authentication will be implemented instead.
“The new CMS marks a significant step for the UPC towards enhancing user convenience”, says Dr. Matthias Rottmann, patent attorney at Cohausz & Florack. “It is pleasing to see that the UPC has addressed criticisms of the current system and responded to users' needs. The new CMS will certainly contribute to the UPC's ongoing success.”
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