Protect your IPR assets

International registration of designs

International design right applications are filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which is located in Geneva. The countries in which protection is being sought are listed on the application. WIPO examines the application for formalities. Each country listed examines the application for aspects other than formalities in accordance with their respective legislation and, based on this examination, either approves the international registration or notifies WIPO of its rejection of the application.

The International Design Registration System offers an administratively easy, flexible and cost-effective way to apply for design rights in Geneva Convention member states. A certain model can, for example, be removed from the register only in certain countries. This spares the design holder from the bureaucracy related to international applications, such as paying application fees in several different currencies, translation costs and fees for local agents.

As the European Community joined the International Design Registration System at the beginning of 2008, Registered Community Designs may also be sought by filing an application with the international authority and specifying European Community on the application. Depending on the number of designs included on the registration application (one application may contain no more than 100 designs) extending the international registration to also include the European Community can be a more economical way to protect the design within the EU than to apply directly for Community Design registration with OHIM.

Hague Agreement and Geneva Act

The Geneva Act (”Geneva Agreement”) of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (1925) entered into force in December of 2003. Over 30 countries and two intranational organisations, the European Community (EC) and African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), have signed the Geneva Agreement.

The Geneva Agreement makes it possible to obtain design rights within all 60 member states, as setting international registration to comprehend the entire area of member organisations includes all their member states.

For the time being, large industrialised countries, such as the United States, Japan and China, have not signed the Geneva Agreement, but the importance of the system will increase if they do join.