The second phase of the EU design reform has applied since 1 July 2026. Businesses should update their filing instructions, representation standards and deadline controls.
A new operational baseline
EUIPO's July 2026 announcement confirms the modernised framework, including new representation options, electronic communication and revised procedures. The current codified EU Design Regulation is Regulation (EU) 2026/715. References in older templates to the former Community design framework need review.
Start with the material that will be filed
A better submission process links the designer's output to the legal claim. Ask who prepared the images, which version they depict and which visible features should be protected. Preserve an approved master set so that marketing changes do not silently alter filing instructions.
Three actions for an in-house team
First, replace the old filing checklist and fee assumptions with current office requirements. Second, agree who can authorise publication or surrender of a deferred design. Third, assign ownership of each electronic deadline and identify a deputy for absences. An updated template without a responsible person does not solve a diary risk.
Practical examples
An appliance launch needs consistent views before manufacturing artwork is released. A portfolio of products from several departments needs a central decision on batching applications. A confidential seasonal collection needs a publication decision early enough for the applicable deferment rules.
EU registration and national law remain distinct
The EU regulation does not make every national procedure identical overnight. National implementation of the recast Design Directive follows its own timetable. Check the relevant national route when a project calls for national protection.
Update the workflow, not only the terminology
Replacing the words Community design with EU design is only one part of the exercise. Review the actual application instructions, representation choices, communication process and deadline responsibilities. Templates should explain which decisions require legal approval and which information the product team must supply. The revised process should be usable by the people who commission images, authorise disclosure and maintain the portfolio.
Existing portfolios need a separate review
A new procedure does not mean every existing registration must be refiled. Check the right’s status, representations, ownership and next maintenance event before deciding what work is justified. Where the commercial product has evolved, assess whether the old registration still supports the current strategy and whether a further filing is available. Treat correction of records, renewal and a new application as different actions.
A launch-team exercise
Choose one upcoming product and trace it from final drawings through ownership approval, filing, public release and renewal recording. Identify gaps in responsibility and mismatches between the commercial timetable and legal deadlines. The exercise is particularly useful where several departments or external designers contribute material. A clear record of the approved design can support both later portfolio management and evidence in a dispute.
Compare national design law · Representations and partial designs · Procedures and appeals