On 29 April 2016 the Italian Council of Ministers adopted a bill for the ratification of the Unified Patent Court Agreement proposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni.

The bill, which has not yet been made public, must be approved by parliament.

According to the official press release, Italy’s ratification of the Unified Patent Court Agreement will help to fight the entry into the European Union of counterfeit goods. The release also points out that “with the entry into force of the Unified Patent Court Agreement it will be possible to open a local division of the Unified Patent Court in Italy, which can significantly enhance the value of Italian expertise and mark the Italian Government’s commitment to defend and promote the Italian language in Europe.”

9 May 2016