UK ratified Hague Agreement for Industrial Designs
We are pleased to see the announcement that the UK has completed its final step in joining the Hague Agreement for industrial designs, following our recent article regarding the delay on the UK’s membership of the Hague Agreement.
The agreement will come into effect on 13 June 2018 and will allow applicants to protect their designs in the UK as part of their international application. As the Hague Agreement spans over 67 contracting parties, covering 82 countries in a single application, applicants could save time and money in their design registration process, and non-UK design owners will be able to register their rights in the UK market via an international application with fewer cost implications.
By joining the Hague Agreement in a national capacity, rather than the UK’s previous membership through the EU, UK business will not lose access to international design registrations when the UK leaves the EU, and ensures that all options remain available to them when developing their filing strategy. This is an extremely important development with Brexit on the horizon.
