「歐洲單一專利制度」發展演進及相關制度介紹

Introduction to ''Unitary Patent System''—the history and its related legal system

「歐洲單一專利」（Unitary Patent, UP），是由歐洲專利局所授予，並因歐洲議會及歐洲理事會2012年第1257號規則（Regulation（EU）No 1257/2012）而受有「單一效力保護」的「歐洲專利」。過往由於一般「歐洲專利」於申請上有勞力時間成本花費較高，且若涉訟，恐有「歐洲各國法院審理標準不一、判決結果不一致」的情況，故在歐洲境內一直有與「建立『歐洲單一專利』制度」有關法律文件的發表。
而由於Regulation（EU）No 1257/2012於今（2023）年6月1日實施，故「歐洲單一專利制度」亦已正式啟動；此制度使得一「歐洲專利」於「單一效力參與國」可具有「單一效力」，而毋庸再同一般「歐洲專利」般，需一一洽專利之「被指定授予國」，進行專利之維護或行訴訟行為。

'European patent with unitary effect'', commonly referred to as ''Unitary Patent (UP)'', is a system endowed by Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012 that makes a European Patent (EP) holder able to request ''unitary effect'' after an EP is granted by European Patent Office (EPO). Once getting the ''unitary effect'', the UP patent holder can be free from how the traditional EP functions—after being granted the patent, the patent holder still has to follow what a European state asks if he wishes the patent can take place in that state—in those Member States participating in the enhanced cooperation of the creation of unitary patent. As a result, the complexity and expenses can be reduced, making benefits for the ones using this system.