PMAC Director Joins LESI YMC Conference Panel in Amsterdam

Aleš Zalar, PMAC Director participated today, 13 November 2026, in a panel discussion at the 13th Pan European LESI Young Members Congress Conference in Amsterdam entitled “Unified Patent Court (UPC) & PMAC: Early Lessons and Future Perspectives.” The discussion brought together leading experts to explore the evolving relationship between the UPC and the PMAC, with a particular focus on the practical implementation of ADR mechanisms in patent disputes. The panel was moderated by Victor V. Fetscher of Boehmert & Boehmert. The other panellists were Patrik Danielsson of Ericsson and Alysson Araujo of Licks Attorneys, Brazil, alongside Aleš Zalar representing the PMAC.

During the discussion, Director Zalar shared insights into the PMAC's establishment, its early experience and its emerging role within the European patent dispute resolution landscape. Particular attention was given to the interaction between UPC proceedings and PMAC mediation and arbitration, including judicial referrals, confidentiality, procedural coordination and the enforceability of settlements. The panellists also examined the recently revised UPC court fee reimbursement rules and their potential impact on parties' incentives to settle disputes through the Centre. The discussion highlighted the importance of ensuring that the UPC and the PMAC complement one another, providing parties with effective and flexible mechanisms for resolving complex patent disputes. The international dimension of patent disputes, including SEP and FRAND-related matters, as well as the potential for global settlements involving parallel proceedings in jurisdictions such as Brazil, was also explored. In this context, Ericsson’s representative advocated for the wider use of arbitration in SEP/FRAND disputes and welcomed the positive developments in this direction, particularly in light of the PMAC’s imminent launch of arbitration services on 17 November 2026.

The discussion provided an opportunity to discuss the PMAC's future development and its potential contribution to a more integrated, efficient and internationally connected patent dispute resolution framework.

The LESI Young Members Congress is an international event organised by the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI), bringing together young professionals and emerging leaders in the fields of intellectual property, technology transfer, licensing and innovation to exchange knowledge, share expertise and build international networks.