What is a Protection Certificate?

The protection certificate has been tailored particularly to suit the needs of the pharmaceutical industry. The long drawn-out approval procedures mean that in this sector in particular there is often blurring between competitors, which makes adequate protection using conventional methods virtually impossible. The protection certificate provides the possibility to demand protection for up to five years even after the expiry of the patent.
On 12 December 2006, EC Regulation 1901//2006 on medicinal products for paediatric use was adopted. The objective of the Regulation is to establish a legislative framework that encourages the increased research and development of medicines for the treatment of children and offers a 6 month extension of the Supplementary Protection Certificate.