The First of Many Steps: The EU Unitary Patent and Software, and What the UK Should Do Next

Abstract

This paper takes a look at the EU Unitary Patent from the United Kingdom's perspective, and considers it both generally and in terms of its impact for software. The paper argues that the EU Unitary Patent is a good step for patents in general and for software protection, but advises that additional protections are needed. As such, this paper proposes a new, additional system for software protection, recommending that the United Kingdom take the lead in the process to gain initial benefits, while also recommending that it should ultimately pursue international cooperation.

Keywords: Unitary Patent, EU Unitary Patent, European Union Patent, Software, Software Patent, Online, Software Protection, Software La