Protect your design internationally
A national design protects the appearance of your product only in Austria. If you also want to protect your design abroad, you have two options: EU-wide protection via the EU design (previously also known as the Community design) at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) – or international protection via the Hague Agreement of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The Austrian Patent Office is not the point of contact for filing these applications. They must be submitted directly to the respective competent authority – the EUIPO or WIPO.
International design: basics
With a registered EU design (previously known as a Community design), you can obtain protection in all EU member states with a single application – for up to 25 years.
The application is filed directly with the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office).
At the European level, there is also the option of an unregistered EU design. This is a design that meets the requirements of the EU Design Regulation and has been disclosed to the public through a qualified publication. Details can also be found on the EUIPO website.
Through the Hague Agreement of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), you can apply for protection in nearly 100 member states and international organizations with a single international application.
Although Austria is currently no contracting party to the Hague Agreement, since the European Union has acceded to it, applicants with a connection to Austria (e.g., residence, registered office, or place of business) or to another contracting party can still join the Hague System – and thus also obtain protection in other member states and with participating organizations.
Find more information about the Hague Agreement at WIPO here.
Find more information on international registration via the EU here.