The strongest filing strategy starts before the product is shown publicly. We align design applications with exhibitions, crowdfunding, supplier sampling and commercial launches.
The decisions that matter
Disclosures can occur through social media, trade fairs, websites, catalogues, sales and samples given without effective confidentiality. Identify who will see which version of the product and when. Do not assume that a grace period in one country preserves rights everywhere.
Coordinate the first filing and expansion
A priority claim may preserve the first filing date for later applications if its conditions and deadline are met. Changes in the product, applicant or images need careful review. A filing calendar should distinguish priority, publication and renewal dates.
Use confidentiality deliberately
Non-disclosure agreements and publication deferment serve different purposes. Deferment rules vary between offices and can require affirmative action to prevent publication. Assign responsibility for checking these dates before the product schedule changes.
Build one disclosure calendar
Include press previews, supplier demonstrations, crowdfunding, tender submissions, exhibitions and online listings. Record whether each recipient is bound by effective confidentiality and which product version they receive. An NDA signed after an unrestricted disclosure does not automatically restore novelty. Give the product team a clear rule for when public release is authorised.
Priority and design changes
The six-month design priority period requires attention to the earlier filing, applicant entitlement and the identity of the design. A materially changed product may not be entitled to the earlier date for its new appearance. The launch team should therefore tell the filing team about modifications, not simply assume that a first application protects all later versions.
Publication deferment is a separate instruction
Deferring publication can preserve commercial secrecy, but the maximum period and procedural steps differ by office. Austria, Denmark and Slovenia, for example, have national arrangements different from EUIPO’s. Maintain a separate publication docket and decide in advance who can request publication or withdrawal if the launch is postponed or cancelled.
Three launch plans
A start-up should complete its filing decision before releasing the crowdfunding video. A trade fair exhibitor should check the exact collection and prototypes that will be displayed. A manufacturer using several suppliers should record confidential distribution of the same controlled drawing set and prohibit unauthorised publicity.
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.