A registered European Union design offers a single registration route for the EU market. We help businesses choose the right subject matter, representation and filing sequence, and represent applicants before the EUIPO.
The decisions that matter
An EU design is useful where sales, manufacturing or enforcement exposure extend across Member States. It does not cover Switzerland, the United Kingdom or other non-EU countries. Territory selection should follow your commercial plans rather than the language of your website.
The 2026 rules matter for your application
The revised system accommodates digital and animated subject matter and new representation formats. The available format must match what you want to protect: an animation, a static interface and the physical product housing may call for separate designs. We check the current EUIPO technical requirements before submission.
From preparation to portfolio management
Our work covers ownership, representations, product indications, priority, multiple applications and publication planning. We also monitor office communications and renewal deadlines. Filing does not eliminate the risk of an invalidity application based on earlier designs or other grounds.
Static images, movement and the 2026 procedure
The second phase of the EU reform applies from 1 July 2026. New representation options should be chosen because they define the appearance clearly, not simply because a file format is accepted. An animated design may require a different claim strategy from a set of unrelated interface screens. Check consistency, image quality and the exact content of every uploaded representation before authorising submission.
A unitary right with specific limits
A registered EU design covers the EU territory, but it does not establish worldwide protection or resolve every question about overseas territories. A single registration can be commercially efficient, while a successful invalidity challenge can affect the unitary right. National registrations can still have a role where particular business or dispute considerations justify them. The choice should be made from the product’s markets and risks.
Publication and product families
The filing plan should distinguish the product family from the individual designs claimed. Record each variant, its illustrations and the reason for protection. Publication deferment may support a confidential launch, but it also creates deadlines and instructions that must be actively managed. Ownership changes, priority claims and later modifications should be reviewed before they are carried into an application.
Three practical filing patterns
A furniture range may use individual designs for chairs, tables and selected components while preserving a clear product-to-registration map. A software business may file an animated transition separately from a static icon. A manufacturer entering Switzerland and the UK alongside the EU should coordinate additional filings before relying on a European launch timetable.
What we need to begin
Useful starting material includes clear product images or drawings, the intended applicant, designer and ownership information, planned countries, earlier filings and all known disclosure dates. Tell us whether the product is a prototype, a final production model or a family of variants, and identify the commercial deadline.
Scope, fees and next steps
We first identify the legal question and the information needed to answer it. The proposed scope distinguishes filing or analysis, office correspondence, negotiations and proceedings, together with official charges and any foreign-adviser work. You receive a matter-specific proposal before the agreed steps are taken. Where another jurisdiction is involved, we coordinate with local advisers as required.
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Legal resources
Official guidance and legal framework. The applicable right, filing date and jurisdiction determine the detailed rules. Editorial review: 11 November 2026.