The Belgian Chamber of Representatives voted in plenary session on 23 April 2014 to adopt the law authorising Belgium to ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement.  This completes the passage of the draft law through the Federal Parliament (the Senate having approved it in March).  Royal Assent is now needed to promulgate the law.  The final step required for Belgium’s ratification to have effect under Article 89(1) UPC Agreement is the deposit of the instrument of ratification in Brussels with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, which is expected to take place before the national elections on 24 May 2014.