11/02/2022
As of 5 February 2022, China has joined the Hague System.
This long-awaited news means that from 5 May 2022 Hague System applicants will be able to seek design protection in China through filing a Hague System application, and that an applicant based in China can now take advantage of the benefits offered by the Hague System.
The Hague System allows for registration of up to 100 designs in 77 contracting parties covering 94 countries (from 5 May 2022), through the filing of one single international application. Applicants use the Hague System because filing a single application avoids the time-consuming and potentially expensive process of filing separate registered design applications before each national or regional intellectual property office.
With the addition of China, the Hague System now covers the major territories that are of interest to most registered design applicants: China, the EU, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the US. Therefore, over the next few years, we may see more applicants choosing the Hague System route.
If you would like to discuss how you can protect your designs, or for more information about Hague System applications, registered designs, 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.
