Riyadh Diplomatic Conference to conclude and adopt the Design Law Treaty

As a result of the work undertaken by the WIPO standing committees on the law of trade marks, designs and geographic indications between 2005 and 2023, Riyadh will now host - from 11 to 22 November 2024 - the Diplomatic Conference to conclude and adopt the Design Law Treaty. The Diplomatic Conference represents the final-stage treaty negotiations.

WHAT IS THE DESIGN LAW TREATY?

The future treaty aims to streamline the global system for protecting industrial designs, making it easier, faster and more affordable for designers to protect their work in home markets as well as overseas.

Procedures for design registration vary significantly from one country to another, making it difficult for designers to protect their designs. The Design Law Treaty will address that challenge by simplifying protection procedures. 

HOW WILL THE TREATY SIMPLIFY DESIGN PROTECTION PROCEDURES? 

It will simplify the information that designers must submit with an application. 

It will allow applicants to choose how they represent the design in an application (drawings, photographs or, if admitted, video files), and will allow applicants to include several designs in a single application. 

It will provide for a grace period of 6 or 12 months following a first disclosure of the design, during which such disclosure will not be deemed detrimental to the novelty of the design. 

It will introduce relief measures to prevent applicants from losing their rights if they miss a deadline, and will simplify the procedure for requesting the renewal of a design registration

All these measures will be discussed during the upcoming conference with the support of comments from international IP organisations such as MARQUES, ECTA and others.

WHY DOES THE TREATY MATTER? 

While the Treaty does not aim to unify the process of design registration, it will support designers around the world by standardizing national protection standards and stages, making protection procedures more predictable, less complex and more affordable. 

We shall not fail to keep you closely informed in due time about future developments in relation to the Treaty.