This is a summary of developments in and around the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in the calendar week of March 29, 2026.
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7. Around the court
7.1 PMAC expands neutral pool, launches second call for mediators and arbitrators
As of January 1, 2026, the UPC’s Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) reported a substantial pool of confirmed neutrals across its dispute resolution framework, including 156 arbitral tribunal members, 114 mediators, 87 sole and emergency arbitrators, 79 associated mediators, and 75 experts (link to statistics). Alongside these figures, the PMAC has completed public consultations on its draft Mediation, Arbitration, and Expert Determination Rules, signaling continued development of its alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
In parallel, the PMAC has launched a second call for applications to expand and strengthen its roster of neutrals under Article 35(4) of the UPCA, inviting qualified candidates irrespective of nationality. The call, open until April 4, 2026, aims to broaden the available expertise, while the published list represents only those candidates who have consented to public disclosure, with a larger internal pool maintained for use in proceedings.
7.2 PMAC Director says new dispute resolution options might influence distribution of UPC cases
In an April 5, 2026 LinkedIn post to which an ip fray post is attached, PMAC Director Aleš Zalar notes that the distribution of UPC cases might soon be influenced by new options such as pre-filing mediation, expert determination, and arbitration.