With UPC Agreement ratification procedures continuing and the laying of the European Union Referendum Bill before Parliament, there has been welcome clarification from the UKIPO on the United Kingdom’s UPC Agreement ratification plans.

The UKIPO has confirmed to the IPKat blog that it is fully committed to the UPC, and though there “is still work to be done before the UK can ratify the Agreement”, it “is committed to pressing ahead with this. It is the Government’s intention for our domestic preparations to be completed by Spring 2016.”

The European Union Referendum Bill 2015 is currently being debated in the House of Commons and states that the referendum must be held before 31 December 2017.