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Thursday, December 29, 2005

EU Commission Proposes Linking of EU Design Registration System with WIPO International System.

From

RAPID:

"[...] The European Commission has presented two proposals to link the 'Community Design' system, which protects designs within the EU, with the international design registration system of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The proposals would allow companies, with a single application, to obtain protection of a design not only throughout the EU with the Community Design, but also in the countries which are members of the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement concerning the international registration of industrial designs. The first proposal relates to the accession of the European Community (EC) to the Geneva Act. The second proposal contains the necessary provisions to give effect to that accession, in particular through an amendment of Council Regulation No 6/2002 on Community Designs.

Internal Market and Services Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said: "These proposals will allow EU firms to safeguard valuable design rights with less bureaucracy while at the same time encouraging them to trade with third countries in the knowledge that their design rights are protected. I hope that the Council will now adopt these proposals as soon as possible."

In 2004 the Commission launched a consultation with interested parties on the possible impact on business of EC accession to the Hague system. An overwhelming majority of businesses, professional organisations and Member States were in favour of accession in the near future. [...]"

For more details, see e.g.

Document COM(2005)687 final titled "Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION approving the accession of the European Community to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement concerning the international registration of industrial designs, adopted in Geneva on 2 July 1999 {SEC(2005)1748} (presented by the Commission)" or

Document COM(2005)689 final titled "Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 and (EC) No 40/94 to give effect to the accession of the European Community to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement concerning the international registration of industrial designs" or

Document SEC(2005)1749 - Commission Staff Working Document.

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