UPC Update: Latest Developments On The Negotiations Concerning The Third Seat Of The Central Division

Updates about current status of discussions regarding the third seat of the central division of the UPC recently surfaced on the Italian press and in parliamentary activities.

Recent reports confirm that France and Germany would have agreed to move the seat from London to Milan, on condition of withholding some competences in Munich (apparently, chemistry and metallurgy) and others in Paris (apparently, pharmaceutical patents with SPCs), which would require an amendment to Annex II of the UPCA, removing the relevant IPC classes from the ones originally assigned to the London seat.

Multiple ministries of the Italian government involved in UPC negotiations, including Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio who most recently reached out to his French and German counterparts, are said to be strongly against this solution, insisting that a better compromise be found (cf. the 24 February article published by "Il Sole 24 Ore", available here).