Novelties in EU design protection from 2024
In 2024, new EU legislation will enter into force aimed at unifying and updating the legal framework for design protection. This change will bring several important novelties for design owners and those interested in their protection. In this article, we will look at the key points of the new legislation.
1. Protective symbol with a capital D in a circle
Owners of registered designs will have the option to use a new protective symbol with a capital D in a circle – Ⓓ. This symbol will serve to inform the public that the design is registered and protected by law. Use of the symbol will be voluntary, but it can be a useful tool for distinguishing protected designs from unprotected ones.
2. Change of terminology
The Registered Community Design (RCD) will be renamed to the European Union Design (EUD). This change is intended to simplify the terminology and align it with the terminology used in other areas of intellectual property in the EU.
3. Fee structure changes
The new legislation will reduce the fees for filing an EUD application in some cases. The price for each second to tenth design in a single application will be lower. In addition, the fees for filing an appeal and filing a request for a declaration of invalidity of a design will be reduced. These changes should make design protection more accessible to a wider range of interested parties.
4. New definition of design
The new definition of design will also cover designs in the virtual space, such as user interfaces of software applications, graphical interfaces and others. This change aims to reflect the growing importance of digital products and services.
5. Easier enforcement of invalidity
The new legislation will simplify the process of enforcing the invalidity of a design filed in bad faith. This means that it will be easier to challenge a design that has been registered by an unauthorized person.
There are also many other changes coming to the EU design legislature such as object of protection definition, new filing formalities and so on. However, abovementioned changes are the key changes which we will soon see in effect.
These novelties in EU design protection should have a positive impact on innovation and economic growth. Simplifying and reducing the cost of the design registration process should lead to more companies and individuals protecting their design creations. This should lead to greater intellectual property protection and support for creativity and innovation.
If you have any questions regarding the design protection, or would like to register your design with us, we will gladly offer you the most convenient and cost efficient way depending on your project needs.
