After nearly two decades of negotiations, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted the landmark Design Law Treaty (DLT).
About Design Law Treaty:
It seeks to harmonize the procedural frameworks for industrial design protection, improving the efficiency and accessibility of registration processes across multiple jurisdictions.
The treaty requires 15 contracting parties to enter into force.
Key features
It provides for a grace period of 12 months following a first disclosure of the design, during which such disclosure will not affect its validity for registration.
It provides relief measures and offers some flexibility to applicants to prevent them from losing their rights if they miss a deadline.
It simplifies the procedure for requesting the renewal of a design registration.
It promotes the introduction of e-filing systems for designs and the electronic exchange of priority documents.
It ensures the availability of technical assistance to developing and least developed countries for the implementation of the treaty.
Benefits
Its goal is to ensure that the benefits of streamlined design protection are accessible to all stakeholders, with particular emphasis on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), startups and independent designers.
By standardizing procedural requirements, the DLT reduces administrative burdens, thereby promoting global creativity in design.
When combined with initiatives like the Startup India program and the Startups Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme, these provisions will help empower startups and SMEs to secure design rights globally, boosting their competitiveness and supporting market growth.
India recently signed the final act of this treaty.
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