Interviews with Our Editors: Celebrating the Inauguration of the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre with Its Director — Aleš Zalar

Key Takeaways

• PMAC launches with mediation now, arbitration later this year.
• 65% of court fees reimbursed for settlements before interim deadline.
• 50% discount on fees for SMEs and online proceedings.
• Rules allow inter‑partes invalidity effect, preserving patent for other markets.
• PMAC’s FRAND panel includes 152 experts to handle SEP disputes.

Pulse Analysis

The European patent landscape has been reshaped by the Unified Patent Court, but the court’s formal procedures can be lengthy and costly. To fill the gap, the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) was inaugurated on 2 June 2026 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, under the leadership of former judge and justice minister Aleš Zalar. Positioned alongside the UPC, PMAC offers a full suite of alternative dispute‑resolution services—mediation, arbitration and expert determination—specifically tailored to patent and related intellectual‑property conflicts. Its launch follows a public consultation that generated nearly 1,000 comments, resulting in a modern, stakeholder‑driven rulebook.

PMAC differentiates itself with a range of financial incentives and procedural freedoms. Litigants who settle through mediation receive a 65 % reimbursement of court fees, while SMEs and parties opting for online proceedings enjoy a 50 % discount on registration and administrative costs. The centre’s jurisdiction extends beyond the UPC’s territorial limits, allowing “related disputes” that involve any IP right linked to a European patent issue, and its rulings on validity have only inter‑partes effect, preserving the patent’s enforceability elsewhere. Parties can also choose expedited arbitration, confidential regimes, or med‑arb pathways, and enforce consent awards either as UPC judgments or under the New York Convention.

The centre’s early focus on standard‑essential and FRAND disputes positions it as a strategic tool for tech and biopharma firms that face parallel litigation across multiple jurisdictions. With a roster of 152 neutrals experienced in SEP licensing, PMAC can deliver rapid, confidential determinations of royalty rates while shielding parties from the erga omnes effect of court‑issued invalidity rulings. Companies are advised to embed model mediation clauses now, screen disputes for ADR suitability, and consider arbitration‑friendly seats to maximize enforceability. Law firms that proactively refer clients to PMAC will likely gain a competitive edge as the platform matures.