Editorial


M. Névant (FR), Editorial CommitteeM. Névant (FR), Editorial Committee


March madness

The title of this editorial might lead one to believe that what follows is going to be devoted to the enthusiasm of Americans for college basketball, in particular for the end-of-season tournament which runs throughout March. It is not so.

However, March is to some extent an important month for the profession. March is indeed the month when trainee patent attorneys sit the pre-EQE or the EQE, with the hope that all the efforts devoted to the preparation of the exams will be successful. As we all know, the EQE is a highly respected examination and a guarantee of seriousness and quality, not only for our clients, but also vis-à-vis the EPO. The future of the profession therefore starts in March… In addition, March has a special flavour this year: 1 March 2023 indeed marks the start of the so-called “Sunrise period”, leading to the entry into force of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court on 1 June 2023. Some practitioners will remember when the Convention for the European Patent for the common market was signed at Luxembourg on 15 December 1975 by the 9 member states of the European Economic Community at that time. Others (including myself) will remember sitting a course on the Community Patent. The advent of the Unitary Patent is an incredible milestone that will unlikely have an equivalent in the near future. We look forward to it.

2023 is an election year and the results of the election to Council are presented in this issue, which also includes articles on the e:EQE, on double patenting as well on the (never ending story about the) adaptation of the description. I hope, on behalf of the Editorial Committee, that you will enjoy reading it!



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