UPC ADR: Arbitration, Mediation And Expert Determination

The Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) forms part of the Unified Patent Court (UPC). Its rules of operation are available here. It operates independently, but carries out its tasks in close contact and cooperation with the committees/bodies of the UPC which will have to take decisions in relation to the operation of the Centre.

PMAC has its seats in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Lisbon, Portugal (as provided for under Article 35 UPC Agreement). 

Mediation and arbitration proceedings can be held either at the seats or elsewhere.

ADR through PMAC can occur separately or in parallel with UPC proceedings. 

The objective of the Centre is to promote ADR in cases which fall wholly or in part within the competence of the UPC. There needs to be connection with a patent dispute over which the UPC would have some element of jurisdiction (ie EPs or SPCs that have not been opted out, and UPs and their related SPCs) but "related disputes" also be included in the ADR, defined as “disputes