UPC Roundup (1 week): CoA clarifies conditional revocation appeals; Dusseldorf limits NDA-based FRAND defenses; Milan enters default judgment; and more

This is a summary of developments in and around the UPC in the calendar week of July 19, 2026.

1. CoA

10. Around the court

(link to detailed article)

The Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) has unveiled the members of its newly established FRAND Guidelines Working Group, tasking a diverse panel of judges, practitioners, academics, economists, and industry experts with drafting non-binding best practice recommendations for resolving standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing disputes. Chaired by Simon Dack, the group will prepare guidelines to assist parties, mediators, and arbitrators in conducting FRAND proceedings consistently and efficiently, while inviting public input from both SEP holders and implementers before finalization. Members interviewed by ip fray described the initiative as an important milestone for the PMAC’s expanding ADR services, emphasizing that the guidelines are intended to be balanced, practical, and widely accepted rather than prescriptive, with the Centre’s close connection to the UPC expected to distinguish it as a forum for resolving SEP disputes.