United Kingdom

(WIPO code: GB) (last revised January 2021)

by MURGITROYD, Glasgow

General Information

Area

243,600 sq. km.

Population

66,650,000 (estimated 2019).

Capital

London, with approx. 8.98 million inhabitants (estimated 2019).

Language

English.

Currency

One pound sterling (GBP) = U.S. dollar 1.35 or EUR 1.11 (January 2021).

The most important exports

Include mineral fuels and oils and products of their distillation; electrical machinery and equipment; vehicles (other than railway); nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; pharmaceutical products; organic chemicals; plastics; medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; aerospace and defense products; beverages and services such as finance; information technology and entertainment.

General Remarks

Remark on IP implications of the U.K.’s referendum vote of June 23, 2016 to leave the European Union (“Brexit”): the U.K. left the EU on January 31, 2020, and the associated transition period to formalise the future relationship between the U.K. and EU ended on December 31, 2020. Holders of EU Trademarks (EUTMs) and Registered Community Designs (RCDs) which were granted and published before the end of the transition period were granted equivalent U.K. registrations automatically. The U.K.'s exit from the EU will not affect the current European patent system, which is governed by the (non-EU) European Patent Convention. The U.K. will continue to be a contracting State of the EPC.