The EU Design Legislative Reform Package, which went into effect on May 1, introduced major updates to the European design rights system. These reforms aim to streamline the application process and expand legal protections for digital and animated designs.
Key changes include:
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The ability to submit up to 50 designs in a single application, regardless of Locarno classification.
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A broadened definition of ‘design’ to include animation, movement, and transition effects.
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An expanded concept of ‘product,’ now covering non-physical entities like virtual environments.
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The elimination of the requirement for static graphical representations, allowing applicants to submit dynamic or animated files instead.
World Trademark Review interviewed Finnegan partner Clare Cornell, who noted that the ability to file for multiple designs in one application, irrespective of Locarno Class, will cut filing costs. She said, “Applicants will be able to benefit from the reduction in fees applied to multiple design applications where they might not have been able to before."
