Introduction

ARegistering registered UK design protects your design in the UK,UK but it does not provideprotect protectionit overseas. abroad.

If you planwant to sell,register manufactureyour ordesign licensein productscountries abroad,other youthan shouldthe considerUK, securingthere designare protectiona number of ways in thosewhich territories.you Withoutcan protection,do othersso.

• you maycan beapply ablefor toa copyRegistered orCommunity registerDesign your(RCD) designcovering inthe otherwhole countries.of the European Union (EU)

• If you wantcan use the Hague System to protectapply yourto designa outsidenumber theof UK,different therecountries areor severalterritories waysat tothe applysame dependingtime, onthrough wherea single application

• you needcan protectionapply anddirectly howto manymost major countries areof involved.

  Getthe advice

  Protectingworld designsby abroadmaking cana involveseparate differentapplication legalto systems,each rulescountry andin costs.which you want protection

Claiming a priority date

You may wantbe able to seekclaim advice from a designpriority attorneydate orif otheryou IPapply professional,for whodesign canprotection helpin youanother choosecountry, thewithin most6 appropriatemonths routeof applying for yourthe businesssame anddesign markets.in the UK.

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ChoosingEuropean thedesign right level of protection

YouIf canyou protectwant your design outsideprotection thein UKcountries bywhich applying:

• directlyare tomembers nationalof intellectualthe propertyEU, offices
• internationallyyou viacan Worldapply Intellectualfor Propertya Office
• RCD through the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), based in Alicante, Spain.

  Anyone can apply for EUa registered community design.

  International design protection

The rightHague routeSystem for willthe dependInternational onRegistration whereof Industrial Designs allows you wantto protection,simultaneously howapply for a design in many different countries areor involved,territories, andthrough a single application to the costsWorld andIntellectual administrativeProperty burdenOrganisation.

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Nationalbe based on an existing design protection

Youapplication, canor applyregistration; directlyit is however possible to theclaim priority from an earlier application filed at a national designoffice.

Cost

The officecost into eachapply countrydepends whereon which and how many countries you want your design protected.to Thisbe approachprotected mayin. beIf suitableyou ifdesignate the UK as one of your countries you onlywill need protectionto pay the following fees in aaddition smallto numberthe standard WIPO application fee of specific397 markets.CHF.

YouCost mayof beUK abledesignation towill claimbe;

• 42 priorityCHF fromfor yourthe UKfirst designdesign,

• 2 applicationCHF iffor youeach applyadditional design in anothersame countryLocarno withinclass 6(Level months1 offees)

For yourrenewal UKof filingan date.International ThisDesign meansyou yourwill overseaspay applicationthe maybasic befee treatedof as200CHF ifplus itadditional wasfees filedas onfollows;

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• each asadditional yourdesigns UK1 application,CHF

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Internationalthe designWIPO protection

website.

YouFor canfurther applydetails foron designInternational Design protection inplease multiplego countriesto throughvisit the HagueWIPO Systemwebsite.

If foryou theneed Internationalany Registrationhelp ofwith Industrialfees, Designs,please managedcontact byWIPO:-

Tel. the+41 World(0) Intellectual22 Property338 Organization7575
Fax. (WIPO).

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Contact submitHague:

• opening ahours: single09:00 application- and18:00 designate(CET)

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For andetails earlieron nationalhow application.to apply.

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Europeanyour design protection

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For memberfurther states,information youregarding canyour applycase forafter ait Registeredhas Communitybeen Designreceived (RCD)at throughWIPO theand Europeanto Unionmonitor Intellectualits Propertycurrent Officestatus, (EUIPO).information Acan singlebe applicationfound providesusing protectionInternational acrossDesign all EU countries.Bulletin.

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If your International Design is attacked

Your design may be invalidated in any of the designated countries, but if successful, this will only affect the international registration in that country.

If someone invalidates your design and you withdraw or lose your challenge to an invalidation, you may have to pay towards the other person’s costs.

Any costs incurred are set according to the law of the National Offices in the designated countries. You may wish to seek professional advice if your international application is invalidated.

For specific legal advice please see Seeking intellectual property advice.

Using unregistered design rights

You may also be able to rely on automatic copyright and unregistered design protection in the countries concerned, for example the Unregistered Community Design which covers the whole of the the EU.