The Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER II) on November 27 in Brussels endorsed a compromise text of the proposed amendments to the Brussels I Regulation.
These amendments will ensure coherence between the Unified Patent Court agreement and the Brussels I Regulation, and will pave the way for entry into force of the so-called Patent Package (Regulation 1257/2012 and Regulation 1260/2012). In fact, in order for the UPC to come into effect, it is necessary to make an amendment to the recently recast Brussels I Regulation, which deals with the rules of jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of civil and commercial judgments, including intellectual property and patent litigation. The proposed amendment provides for the UPC to be recognised as a “Court” for the purposes of the Brussels I Regulation. In particular, it establishes its jurisdictional rules in respect of defendants domiciled in non-EU countries. The basis on which the amendment is made is under Article 81 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The intention is that the UPC will come into being shortly after the recast Brussels I Regulation in January 2015.
Source: Lithuanian Presidency website