Design protection: We protect your innovative design – in any country of the world
With design protection, you have an instrument at your disposal with which you can protect your intellectual property from imitators. You can register any two- or three-dimensional design or even parts of it.
Design protection is an important area of intellectual property protection and relates to the shape of a product or a label. Design law grants protection for a specific external shape of a flat surface (two-dimensional) or of a three-dimensional object. The registered design (formerly known as a design patent under German law) gives its owner the sole right to use the registered design. Furthermore, the owner of a registered design can prohibit others from using the protected design without his consent. Design protection begins with the entry into the official design register. Design protection can be maintained for up to 25 years by paying renewal fees.
Designs can be registered nationally or internationally by our office. There’s also the possible to apply for a Community design, which protects a design throughout the European Community. Several designs can also be integrated into a multiple application at low cost.
We offer you our service to ensure the protection of your intellectual property.
Find out more about our law firm's focus areas.
Design: What does the legislator understand by this term?
The design is the external appearance of a product that is either industrially made or handcrafted. This can be furniture, clothing, cars or electrical appliances, for example. In this case, design protection applies to three-dimensional designs. But also, graphic symbols (two-dimensional design) or parts of products (e.g. a specially designed sole of a sports shoe) can be protected.
As experts for the design protection, we offer our clients competent legal and technical advice.
Community design
A Community design is an industrial property right of the European Union which can be regarded as a counterpart to the German design protection (registered design). With a Community design you can protect your creative design in all EU member states throughout Europe. This concerns all design features of the external appearance of a product:
By registration at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) you obtain design protection. Thus, with only one application we can protect your design throughout Europe. The legal framework is provided by the CDR (Community Design regulation), which distinguishes registered from unregistered Community designs. Your design only benefits from full design protection as a registered Community design (RCD). On your behalf, we will take over the application procedure at the EUIPO.
We have been protecting your innovations
for more than 90 years!
By registration, your design is protected against imitators. In Germany, the registered design corresponds to the Community design, which is valid at European level. A registered design initially lasts 5 years. It can be renewed 4 times until the maximum term of protection of 25 years. To keep the registered design status, certain criteria (uniqueness and novelty) must be met. We ensure that the formal and legal requirements for a design application are met and thus that your design receives full protection. Would you like to learn more about the protection of intellectual property? In our FAQ section we answer the most frequently asked questions of our clients. You can also get comprehensive personal advice. Contact our law firm and arrange an appointment.
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