Legal

Referendum on patents to be held with European elections next year

Legislative change would cut the €30,000 cost of registering a ten-year patent in all 24 EU countries to just €4,700

The unified patent court will have exclusive jurisdiction on cases involving disputes on European patents

The government is planning to hold a referendum on international patents alongside European elections next year to cut costs for businesses.

It would allow Irish businesses to defend or challenge patents on products in 24 EU countries by taking one legal case, instead of having to apply separately in each country.

The government has estimated that this could cut the €30,000 cost of registering a ten-year patent in all those countries to just €4,700.

The ...