21/01/2020
As of 3 January 2020, the Hague System is in force in Israel, Samoa and Vietnam. This means that applicants can now seek design protection in these countries in a Hague System application, and that applicants based in these three countries can now take advantage of the benefits offered by seeking design protection through the Hague System.
The Hague System allows for registration of up to 100 designs in 73 contracting parties covering 90 countries, through the filing of one single international application.
Applicants use the Hague System because they can protect their designs in multiple countries through filing just one application, thereby avoiding the time-consuming process of filing separate applications before each national or regional intellectual property office.
As we reported last year, Hague System applications are becoming more popular. With the inclusion of Israel, Samoa and Vietnam as available designations, the expansion of the Digital Access Service to the International Bureau of WIPO in respect of registered designs, and the potential addition of the likes of China in the future, the number of Hague System applications being filed is expected to keep increasing.
If you would like to discuss how you can protect your designs, or for more information about Hague System applications and other forms of intellectual property protection, please contact us.
This article is for general information only. Its content is not a statement of the law on any subject and does not constitute advice. Please contact Reddie & Grose LLP for advice before taking any action in reliance on it.
