After 14 years of having our main focus on patent protection, at DenK iP we are ready for a significant next step: as of May 12, 2023 we provide you, in-house, with a full solution for protecting the intellectual property of your project. We are delighted to inform you that from today onwards we are Winger!

Two dedicated teams with years of experience in the sector are joining forces. As a result, Winger is ready to take flight as a full-service intellectual property firm, specialized in patents, trademarks, designs, copyright and more.

On one side, the team headed by Christoph Bourgeois and Rogier Goos will form the trademarks and designs department.

On the other side, our experienced team of patent attorneys and supporting staff – formerly known as DenK IP – will passionately further follow up your existing and new patent-related projects as the Winger Patents department.

This collaboration means that Winger is an integrated and multidisciplinary team of more than 15 attorneys, supported by the most energized back-office of the Benelux.

The team strongly matches on core values : we are focused on your future and provide immediately workable and tailored advice that helps the long term development of your project. This resulted in the choice of name and logo. Please visit Winger's new website and find out!

Germany has ratified the Unified Patent Court (UPC) agreement, marking a significant milestone in the establishment of a unified patent system across Europe. This decision has been long-awaited by patent professionals, as it paves the way for the implementation of a single European patent system, which is expected to simplify and reduce the costs of patent protection across Europe.

The ratification of the UPC agreement was announced on February 17th, 2023, by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection of Germany. The ratification by Germany was a crucial step towards the establishment of the UPC, which has been under development for several years.

The UPC is an international court that will have jurisdiction over disputes relating to European patents, including the infringement and validity of such patents. The UPC system will provide a single set of rules and procedures for the enforcement and protection of patents, making it easier for patent holders to protect their intellectual property rights across Europe. The establishment of the UPC system will also have important implications for patent litigation, as it will streamline the litigation process and provide a specialized court with the necessary expertise to handle patent disputes.

Germany's ratification of the UPC agreement triggers the start of the so-called sunrise period on March 1, and the going live of the UPC on June 1, 2023. During the sunrise period, preparatory actions can be taken, like opting our your granted European patents from the jurisdiction of the UPC, as already announced in our earlier newsletters.

Do not hesitate to contact a DenK iP patent attorney if you need assistance. Check our Q&A page for the answer on all your UPC questions!

We are very proud to announce that DenK iP is now a registered service provider for SME e-wallet (KMO-portefeuille).

Our patent experts are providing different types of advice that can (partially) be funded by KMOP, e.g. patentability advice, advice with respect to infringement, nullity advice.

Please feel free to contact us to find out all possibilities. VLAIO's website provides information on how to request said funding and what terms and conditions apply.

We all look forward to the Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court entering into force!

A lot has been said about it during the last couple of months (and years, if you think about it). Last Monday, the president of the UPC communicated that the start of the sunrise period will be postponed with 2 months, to 1 March 2023. This means the actual entry into force of UP and UPC will be 1 June 2023.

The sunrise period is the 3 month period before the entry into force of let's say, the "Unitary package".
During this period, applicants have the chance to delay the grant of their European Patent. But most important is the opportunity for proprietors to opt-out: this means that, as from day one (1 June 2023), their patent does not fall under the jurisdiction of the newly established Unified Patent Court.

Please contact your patent expert for more information on Unitary Patent protection, on the sunrise period and the opportunity to opt-out.