The Irish Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney has secured Cabinet approval to draft legislation for a referendum on the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The government is now set to craft the wording for the proposed referendum, with plans to synchronize it with the local and European elections slated for June 6-9, 2024.
Ireland's commitment to the UPC was marked by its signing of the agreement in 2013, but a constitutional amendment is necessary for ratification. The referendum will seek public approval to transfer patent litigation jurisdiction to the UPC, requiring an update to Article 29 of the Constitution to include the UPC Agreement as an international treaty.
Ratification by Ireland would elevate the number of countries participating in the UPC to 18, following the court's inauguration last June. Ireland's ratification would also involve establishing a Local Division of the UPC, notable for being the sole division based on common law.
The nations yet to ratify the agreement, despite signing, include Cyprus, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.
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