Italy and Lithuania has begun the ratification process for UPCA

Both the Italian and Lithuanian governments have begun the process for ratifying the Unified Patent Court Agreement. In Italy the Council of Ministers have approved draft legislation, and the parliament is now about to approve the bill. Italy will most likely ratify later this year, and it is further expected that a local division will be set up in Milan. Lithuania, which will join the Baltic states and Sweden in a regional division of the Court set up in Stockholm, have submitted a draft legislation to the unicameral parliament for approval before ratifying the UPCA. In Lithuania the current date of entry into force is 1 July, 2017.