Insights: UK Ratifies Hague Agreement for International Registration of Industrial Designs

On 13 March 2018 the UK deposited its instrument or ratification of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). As a result, from 13 June 2018 it will be possible to designate the UK when filing an international design application under the Hague System.

At present, an application under the Hague System can only cover the UK if the EU is designated. However, as of 13 June 2018 applicants will be able to designate and obtain protection in the UK independently of an EU designation. This may prove to be of benefit after Brexit, since, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations between the EU and UK, it will provide applicants with greater flexibility by providing another route for obtaining design protection in both the UK and EU.

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