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Liste der Abkürzungen, Schlagwörter und weitere Praxishinweise

Ein Referenzdokument des UPC-Präsidiums: die Abkürzungen des Gerichts, die Zitierweisen für UPC-, EuGH-, EPA-, EGMR- und nationale Rechtsprechung sowie die Schlagwortliste für Anordnungen und Entscheidungen.

Das Präsidium veröffentlicht dieses Dokument nur auf Englisch. Der Text unten ist eine wortgetreue Übernahme, einschließlich der Fehler der Quelle. Original-PDF (UPC-Präsidium, 19. Mai 2025)

1. UPC specific abbreviations

When using abbreviations, it can be useful to write the full name or term when it first appears in the text, and then in its abbreviated form. For example: Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA).

Term Meaning
Agreement or UPCA Agreement on a Unified Patent Court of 19 February 2013 (OJ C 175, 20.6.2013, p. 1) including any subsequent amendments. Articles of the UPCA are to be cited in the following format: Art. 33(3)(a) UPCA
Art. Article
Central Division or CD Central division of the Court of First Instance pursuant to the Agreement
Code of Conduct (Judges) or Code of Conduct or CoC (Judges) Code of Conduct of Judges of the Unified Patent Court of 24 April 2023 including any subsequent amendments
Code of Conduct (Representatives) or CoC (Representatives) Code of Conduct for Representatives of 8 February 2023 including any subsequent amendments
CJEU The Court of Justice of the European Union
Court or the UPC The Unified Patent Court created by the Agreement
Court of Appeal or CoA The Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court created by the Agreement
Court of First Instance or CFI The Court of First Instance of the Unified Patent Court created by the Agreement
Contracting Member State or CMS A Member State party to the Agreement
Data Protection Officer The UPC Data Protection Officer designated by the Presidium
Deputy-Registrar The Deputy-Registrar of the Court
Directive 98/5/EC Directive 98/5/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 to facilitate practice of the profession of lawyer on a permanent basis in a Member State other than that in which the qualification was obtained (OJ L 77, 14.3.1998, p. 36) including any subsequent amendments
EMA European Medicines Agency
EPC Convention on the Grant of European Patents of 5 October 1973 (European Patent Convention) including any subsequent amendments
EPO The European Patent Office
EP or European patent A patent granted under the provisions of the EPC, which does not benefit from unitary effect by virtue of Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012
UP or European patent with unitary effect A patent granted under the provisions of the EPC which benefits from unitary effect by virtue of Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012
EU-GDPR Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation)
Financial Regulations or Fin. Reg. The Financial Regulations of the Court as adopted by the Administrative Committee of 22 February 2022, including any subsequent amendments
Guidelines (value of proceedings) or Guidelines on fees and costs Guidelines for the determination of the court fees and the ceiling of recoverable costs of 24 April 2023 including any subsequent amendments
The Hague Convention Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters of 15 November 1965 including any subsequent amendments
CMS The information technology system of the Court
judge Depending on the context; the presiding judge, the judge-rapporteur, the single judge, the standing judge or the panel of judges
JR judge rapporteur
Local Division or LD Local division of the Court of First Instance pursuant to the Agreement
Lugano Convention Convention on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters of 30 October 2007 (OJ L 147, 10.6.2009, p. 5) including any subsequent amendments
Member State or MS A Member State of the European Union
patent A European patent and/or a European patent with unitary effect
Presidium The Presidium according to the Statute
PJ presiding judge
R. Rule
Regional Division or RD Regional division of the Court of First Instance pursuant to the Agreement
Regulation (EU) 2020/1783 or Evidence Regulation Regulation (EU) 2020/1783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2020 on cooperation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters (taking of evidence) (recast), OJ L 405, 2.12.2020, p. 1 including any subsequent amendments
Regulation (EU) No 1215/2012 or Brussels I bis Regulation (EU) No 1215/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2012 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (OJ L 351, 20.12.2012, p. 1) including any subsequent amendments
Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012 or UP Regulation Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2012 implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection (OJ L 361, 31.12.2012, p. 1) including any subsequent amendments
Regulation (EU) No 1260/2012 or Language UP Regulation Regulation (EU) No 1260/2012 of the Council of 17 December 2012 implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection with regard to the applicable translation arrangements (OJ L 361, 31.12.2012, p. 89) including any subsequent amendments including any subsequent amendments
Regulation (EU) 2020/1784 or Service Regulation Regulation (EU) 2020/1784 1783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2020 on the service in the Member States of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters (service of documents) (recast), OJ L 405, 2.12.2020; p. 40
Registrar The Registrar of the Court
Registry The Registry at the Court of Appeal
RegR Rules governing the Registry of the Unified Patent Court
RoP Rules of Procedure of the Unified Patent Court as adopted by decision of the Administrative Committee on 8 July 2022, including any subsequent amendments. Rules of the RoP are to be cited in the following format: R. 14.1(c) RoP
Scale of ceilings Scale of ceilings for recoverable costs of 24 April 2023 including any subsequent amendments
Service Regulations or Serv. Reg. Regulations Governing the Conditions of Service of Judges, the Registrar and the Deputy-Registrar of the Unified Patent Court of 22 February 2022 including any subsequent amendments
UPCS or Statute Statute of the Unified Patent Court (OJ C 175, 20.6.2013, p. 29) including any subsequent amendments. Articles of the UPCS are to be cited in the following format: Art. 15(3)(a) UPCS
Sub-Registry The branch of the Registry situated at a local or regional division or at the seat or one of the sections of the central division of the Court of First Instance
Table of Court Fees or Table Table of Court Fees of 8 July 2023 including any subsequent amendments
SPC or Supplementary protection certificate A supplementary protection certificate granted under Regulation (EC) No 469/2009 (1) or under Regulation (EC) No 1610/96
UPC The Unified Patent Court

2. How to cite UPC case-law

UPC cases should be cited by using the ECLI reference code. The code is required by R. 67 of the RegR and is to be provided by the Deputy-Registrar for cases from the Court of First Instance, and by R. 73 of the RegR for the Court of Appeal, to be provided by the Registrar. The ECLI code can be found in the CMS system in the Overview folder.

If no ECLI reference code has yet been provided, the order or decision should be cited by the UPC case number and the date of the order or decision.

  • UPC CFI 1/2023 (CD Paris), decision of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CFI 1/2023 (LD Paris), decision of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CFI 1/2023 (Nordic Baltic RD), decision of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CFI 1/2023 (CD Munich), order of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CFI 1/2023 (LD Munich), order of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CFI 1/2023 (Nordic Baltic RD), order of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CoA 1/2023, decision of 1 June 2023, … [page],
  • UPC CoA 1/2023, order of 1 June 2023, … [page].

3. How to cite CJEU case-law

The method of citing the CJEU case-law is set out on the Curia website. The method differs somewhat depending on the language used.

Example: Judgment of 12 July 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, paragraph 19 — CURIA - Method of citing the case-law - Court of Justice of the European Union (europa.eu)

Example: Urteil vom 12. Juli 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, Rn. 19 — CURIA - Zitierweise der Rechtsprechung - Gerichtshof der Europäischen Union (europa.eu)

Example: Arrêt de 12 juillet 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, point 19 — CURIA - Mode de citation de la jurisprudence - Cour de justice de l'Union européenne (europa.eu)

Example: Dom af 12. juli 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, praemis 19 — CURIA - Metoden for henvisning til retspraksis - Den Europæiske Unions Domstol (europa.eu)

Example: Sentenza del 12 luglio 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, punto 19 — CURIA - Modo di citazione della giurisprudenza - Corte di giustizia dell'Unione europea (europa.eu)

Example: Arrest van 12 juli 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, punt 19 — CURIA - Citeerwijze voor de rechtspraak - Hof van Justitie van de Europese Unie (europa.eu)

Example: Acórdão de 12 de julho de 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, n.o 19 — CURIA - Modo de citação da jurisprudência - Tribunal de Justiça da União Europeia (europa.eu)

Example: Sodbaz dne 12. julija 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, točka 19 — CURIA - Pravidlo citácie judikatúry - Súdny dvor Európskej únie (europa.eu)

Example: Tuomio 12.7.2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, 19 kohta — CURIA - Tapa viitata oikeuskäytäntöön - Euroopan unionin tuomioistuin (europa.eu)

Example: Dom av den 12 juli 2005, Schempp, C-403/03, EU:C:2005:446, punkt 19 — CURIA - Metod för hänvisning till rättspraxis - Europeiska unionens domstol (europa.eu)

4. How to cite the Official Journal of the EPO and the case-law of the EPO's Boards of Appeals

The Official Journal of the EPO is cited as OJ, followed by the year of publication and page number for publication prior to 2014 (eg OJ 2000, 322) and as OJ, followed by the year of publication and article for publication as of 2014 (eg OJ 2015, A102).

For the case-law of the EPO Boards of Appeals, normally only the case number is cited. If a decision of a board of appeal has been published in the OJ, the OJ reference can be cited as well when appropriate.

See also page XIV in Case law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office 10th edition (epo.org)

5. How to cite ECtHR case-law

The mode of citation of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights is set out in an explanatory note.

Example: Malhous v. the Czech Republic (dec.) [GC], no. 33071/96, ECHR 2000-XII

Exact ways to cite leading case-law can be found here

6. How to cite national case-law

If possible, use the European Case Law Identifier (ECLI) when citing national case-law. However, ECLI is not used in all EU Member States. Useful links on how to cite national case-law is available through the following link:

European e-Justice Portal - European Case Law Identifier (ECLI) (europa.eu)

If ECLI is not available, use the citation standard commonly used in the Member State in question.

7. How to cite books, commentaries and articles

When citing books, commentaries and articles, the format could be: name of the author/title of the book, commentary or law review/edition and year of the publication/ page or paragraph (book/law review) or number of the Art. or Rule and of the paragraph (commentary).

Examples:

  • Book: Jacob, IP And Other Things (2015), 147.
  • Commentary: Tilmann/Plassmann/Tochtermann, Unified Patent Protection in Europe (2018) Art. 75 UPCA, para 2.
  • Article of a law review: Heinze, GRUR Patent 2023, 47, 49.

8. Information about the EU Interinstitutional Style Guide

The UPC is an international court common to the Contracting EU Member States. According to Article 24 a) and e) UPCA, the Court shall base its decisions on i.a. Union law and national law. To this end, it can be helpful to be aware of relevant aspects of the EU Interinstitutional Style Guide, even though the UPC is not an EU institution and there is no obligation to use the styles.

Some examples of what can be found in the EU Interinstitutional Style Guide:

9. Keywords to accompany UPC orders and decisions

  • accelerated proceedings
  • added subject-matter
  • amendments of patent
  • appeal
  • application for provisional measures
  • attorney-client privilege
  • auxiliary request
  • bifurcation
  • burden of proof
  • claim construction
  • communication of information
  • competence
    • of the Court
    • of divisions
  • confidentiality
  • corrective measures
  • costs
  • counterclaim (for revocation or for infringement)
  • court fees
  • cross-appeal
  • damages
  • decision by default
  • discretionary review, request for
  • embodiments
  • equivalents
  • evidence
    • written
    • duty to produce
    • cooperation between courts
    • order to produce
    • order to preserve
  • examination of formal requirements
  • exceptions to patentability
  • exhaustion of rights conferred
  • experiments
  • experts
    • court experts
    • experts of the parties
  • extent of protection
  • FRAND or fair reasonable and non-discriminatory
  • freezing of assets
  • industrial application
  • information
    • order for
  • infringement
    • direct use
    • indirect use
  • insolvency
  • inspection of premises
  • interim award of costs
  • interim conference
  • international jurisdiction
  • intervention
  • inventive step
  • jurisdiction
  • language of proceedings
  • lay open books
  • leave to appeal
  • legal aid
  • legitimate interest
  • licences
    • compensation
  • limitations of the effect
  • limitation periods
  • manifest inadmissibility
  • measures ordered without hearing the other party (ex parte)
  • novelty
  • opt-out
    • application to opt out
    • correction of opt-out
    • withdrawal of an opt-out
  • oral hearing
  • oral testimony
  • panel
    • composition of
  • party
  • patentability of
    • plants
    • animals
    • computer implemented inventions
    • artificial intelligence
  • Permanent injunction
  • person skilled in the art
  • plurality of parties
  • preliminary objection
  • preliminary references to the CJEU
  • priority
  • prior art
  • prior use
  • procedural appeal
  • proceedings
    • written procedure
    • interim procedure
    • oral procedure
    • procedure for the award of damages
    • procedure for cost decisions
  • proprietor
  • protective letter
  • provisional and protective measures
  • provisional injunction
  • public access to the register
  • re-establishment of rights
  • referral back
  • rehearing
  • representative
  • request for extension
  • revocation
    • of an order to preserve evidence
    • of a patent
    • of provisional measures
  • rights conferred
  • right to be heard
  • security
  • self-incrimination
  • SEP or standard essential patent
  • service of documents
  • settlement
  • skilled person
  • stay of proceedings
  • sufficiency of disclosure
  • sufficient degree of certainty
  • summary proceedings
  • supplementary protection certificate
  • suspensive effect
  • technical features
  • technically qualified judge
    • allocation of
  • territorial scope of decisions
  • transfer of patent or patent application
  • transitional regime
  • translation
  • unitary effect
  • validity of patent
  • value of action
  • value of the proceeding
  • witnesses
    • summoning of
    • hearing of
    • duties of
    • expenses
  • written procedure

The glossary of the EPO can be used for reference.

The EPO Alphabetical keyword index can be used for reference.

Done at The Hague on 19 May 2025

For the Presidium

Signed Klaus Grabinski, The Chairman