Designs & Models

The importance of design law should not be underestimated. Nowadays, the design of a product is often at least as important as its user function. After all, an original and catchy design contributes to the positive image and has an important strategic role for the designer, because between two products with the same quality the consumer will often prefer the most aesthetic form.

It is therefore very important to protect your drawing or model (two or three-dimensional), which represents the appearance of a product or part of it. In other words, it concerns an intellectual right relating to a tangible ‘object’. Don’t be fooled, however, it concerns a broad fact: for example, the furnishing of your restaurant or hotel rooms may be eligible for deposit.

When a drawing or design is new and has its own character, it can be filed as a Benelux Design, Community Design (within the European Union) or as an international design. Once a valid filing has been obtained, it is valid for five years, which can be extended to a maximum of twenty-five years.

Please note: you may not disclose your design before registration has been completed. After all, the rule is that as soon as your drawing has been made known to the ‘relevant public’, you lose the option of filing or registration. There are a few specific exceptions to this. If you are in such a situation, please contact us.

Since the scope of protection is determined by a correct and complete description of your drawing/model in the application, it is extremely important that the application is clear. All characteristic features of the appearance must be visible, otherwise they are not part of the scope of protection. Good images of your drawing/model are therefore essential.

Finding your way back into the jumble of rules and legislation is far from self-evident. We are happy to help you forward, and protect you from incomplete or imperfect registrations, theft of your creativity or annoying competitors.