A registered design is a legal entitlement covering a product’s appearance or a part of it, including features like lines, contours, colors, shape, texture, and materials, as well as its ornamentation.

What is a registered design in EU?

In the EU, a registered design grants exclusive rights to the owner, allowing them to utilize, sell, license, or prevent others from using the design. This right can be obtained for an entire product, a portion of a product, or a combination of products.

What can be protected by registration?

To qualify for protection, the design must be both new and possess individual character. This requires it to differ from other designs available to the public before the application’s filing date. Moreover, the design should present a distinct overall impression to an informed user when compared to any prior design.

Scope of protection

A registered design provides the owner with the exclusive right to use the design, prohibit others from using the design, or license the design to others. The scope of protection depends on the registered design’s coverage, which can be limited to certain countries or extended to the entire EU.

VALCORP provides a range of services related to the registration and protection of designs in the EU. Our services include conducting a search for similar or identical designs, preparing and filing applications for registration, and handling any objections or oppositions to the registration. Additionally, we offer advice on the design’s scope of protection and enforcement of design rights.

Documents required for EU design registration:

• A request for registration of a design
• Representation of the design in a graphical or pictorial form
• Payment of the official fee
• Details of the applicant
• Statement of novelty and individual character