The European Patent Office has set the start of its transitional measures for the introduction of the Unitary Patent to 1 January 2023.

As of that date, patent applicants may file early requests for unitary effect and requests for a delay in issuing the decision to grant a European patent. The measures are applicable until the entry into operation of the Unitary Patent Protection system which is expected to be on 1 April 2023.

The message of the EPO as well as further information can be found here.