Science:
The governments of the European Union have been negotiating the
Unified Patent Court, which could make the patent process
cheaper and simpler for applicants and increase the EU's global
competitiveness. Until now, European patents were filed in one
country and then granted separately by others, with fees and
other costs accruing with each approval. The decision to unify
has taken decades, as government leaders debated where the
court would be located. In a historic decision, they have
chosen to divide the court among three cities: Paris, London,
and Munich. The European Parliament will vote on the proposal
later this month. At least 13 member states need to ratify it,
which is expected to happen by early 2014.
