The combined celebration of IPAN’s 25th anniversary and World IP Day, was held at an event entitled: ‘Global Britain, Great for IP, Great for Business' at which the Minister for IP,  Sam Gyimah, announced that the UK has ratified the Unified Patent Court Agreement.

The event was attended by high profile representatives from the world of intellectual property including past IP Ministers, Baroness Lucy Neville Rolfe and Lord Younger. A panel of distinguished speakers addressed the topic: ‘IP and the future of Innovation and Trade’. Speakers included:
 
John Ogier, IPAN’s chairman, welcomed guests to the celebration of IPAN’s 25th anniversary and World IP Day. He thanked all those who contribute to making Britain globally excellent in IP. 
 
MP Pete Wishart (@PeteWishart) introduced #WorldIPDay and demanded reassurance that IP will be at the heart of Brexit negotiations. #IPAware25
 
Sam Gyimah MP
Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, including Intellectual Property
 
Debbie Bestwick MBE
Chief Executive Officer, Team17  spoke passionately about the importance of IP from her perspective as co-founder of a highly successful independent video games company. 
 
Tim Moss CBE
Chief Executive Officer and Comptroller General of the Intellectual Property Office. Tim talked about IP’s role in the future success of post-Brexit global Britain. 
 
Allie Renison (@AllieRenison)
Head of Europe and Trade Policy, Institute of Directors made the point that the web plays an important role in facilitating international trade and IP. 
 
Chris Warkup (@CWarkup)
Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge Transfer Network (Innovate UK) made a heart felt plea for universities to incentivise and facilitate the exploitation of their IP for social & economic benefit by using tried and tested contracts and being realistic in their expectations. 
 
This is a momentous day for patent litigators in the UK, and for the other 24 nations who are signatories to the UPC Agreement. The UK is one of the three required signatories who must ratify the UPCA for it to come into force, along with France (ratified) and Germany (to be ratified).  The UK has fallen into line on the UPC, notwithstanding the Brexit referendum result.  The UK's timely ratification is therefore welcome news for proponents of the UPC. 
 
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