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The Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs offers a protection in multiple countries or regions through the filing of a single application.
Following the recent accessions of Uzbekistan (designation possible from January 10, 2025), Saint Kitts and Nevis (designation possible from October 8, 2024), and Saudi Arabia (designation possible from April 7, 2025), the Hague System now includes 82 members, covering 99 states.
Map sourced from the WIPO website.
To obtain an international design registration, the application has to be filed with WIPO, selecting the countries or regions where a protection is sought.
Upon receipt of the application, WIPO will conduct a formal examination to ensure that the application complies with the administrative requirements and check if the payment of the required fees has been done. Where applicable, it will register the design in the International Register and publish it in the International Designs Bulletin. Simultaneously, WIPO will forward the application to the Offices of the designated countries so that they can proceed to a substantive examination according to their own national legislation. Once this examination has been completed, and in the absence of notification, the design will be registered in the relevant jurisdiction.
The protection obtained through an international design registration is for five years and can be renewed for consecutive five-year periods. The maximum protection duration varies according the countries or regions, but cannot be less than 15 years, with a maximum of 50 years.
By Agathe CONTER
