A European patent is the name of a patent granted by the European Patent Office under the European Patent Convention (EPC).

On grant a European patent becomes a bundle of separate national patents having effect in some or all of the 38 countries which are party to the EPC.

The European patent system is separate from the European Union. Whilst all European Union countries are party to the EPC so are some non-European Union countries including, for example, Switzerland and Turkey.

Infringement of a European patent is dealt with entirely by the national law and national courts of the EPC country in which the infringement took place.

The European patent process offers an applicant a cost-effective way to obtain patent protection in multiple European countries.

Wilson Gunn can advise on all aspects of intellectual property protection. Please get in touch to speak to a member of our team about patent protection.