Strong UK Presence at UPC Mediation and Arbitration Centre Inauguration

The UK was strongly represented at the formal inauguration of the Unified Patent Court’s (UPC) Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) on 2 June 2026 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Although the UK is not a participant in the UPC system, UK practitioners account for 16 of the Centre’s more than 200 appointed neutrals – arbitrators, mediators and technical experts – representing around 8% of the total panel and the largest contingent from any non-EU country.

The prominence of UK experts within PMAC reflects the international standing of UK patent dispute resolution and marks a notable achievement for the profession. The inauguration itself represented an important milestone in the development of Europe’s unified patent system, with PMAC set to provide mediation, arbitration and expert determination services for disputes involving European and Unitary Patents, including cross-border and SEP/FRAND disputes. Operating from seats in Ljubljana and Lisbon, the Centre aims to establish itself as a credible alternative to patent litigation.

The UK contingent includes a number of CIPA members, among them Richard Davis KC, Sir Robin Jacob, Christopher Stothers, James Tumbridge, Andrew Mackenzie, Alex Wilson and Andrea Hughes.

PMAC’s rules allow parties to use ADR alongside UPC litigation, offering greater flexibility and the prospect of faster, confidential resolution of patent disputes. Both the UPC and the English courts have already recognised the potential value of ADR in appropriate cases, suggesting PMAC could play an increasingly important role in the European patent landscape.

The PMAC director, Aleš Zalar, will also be speaking at the UPC Conference on Wednesday 9 September. More information can be found here.