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This article explores relevant European laws and doctrines of patent infringement with emphasis on 3D printing. Considering the difficulties that patent owners can face in pursuing direct patent infringement actions in the rapidly evolving era of 3DP, we suggest that they will probably direct their efforts towards indirect patent infringement strategies. For hence, our, read this analysis concentrates on selected indirect patent infringement doctrines in order to provide a detailed analysis of pan-European theories of indirect patent infringement and to highlight the possible challenges that 3DP might raise for traditional interpretations and applications of the indirect patent infringement tests in Europe. Realizing that much legal uncertainty remains within the 3DP area, with no clear indications on how patent infringements will be addressed by the courts, we argue that EU courts should attempt to align their approaches and follow the same lines of interpretation. As this is a global issue, we further conclude that all European stakeholders and courts should closely monitor the developments in other jurisdictions, such as the US, which is currently the market leader in 3DP technology. We also argue that the sooner IP right holders begin strategizing on their own business and legal concerns the less their business models will be disrupted by this technological innovation. Moreover, although internet platforms and online CAD file repositories will play a major role in the development and dissemination of 3DP, rights holders will probably be at the centre of major legal disputes unless they carefully consider the scope of their activities in light of IP law.
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