An EU design application should begin with a representation strategy and a disclosure review. Registration through EUIPO can cover all EU Member States, but does not itself establish substantive validity.
This article was first published on the date shown above and has been revised to reflect current terminology and practice.
Prepare the filing
Confirm ownership, identify the product and choose coherent views of each design. Review earlier publication and any priority claim. Registered and unregistered EU designs are distinct rights; the latter should not be treated as a substitute for a planned filing programme.
Apply under the current rules
Use the EUIPO requirements and fee schedule in force on the filing date. The second phase of the reform has applied since 1 July 2026, including new representation formats and procedural rules. Earlier fee examples and fixed registration timelines should not be relied on.
Publication and renewal
Consider deferred publication if launch secrecy matters. Diary publication and renewal deadlines separately. Registered EU protection can last up to 25 years, subject to renewals; enforceability still depends on validity and the circumstances of the alleged infringement.
Three filing decisions
A chair family may need separate designs for materially different versions. An animated interface needs a representation that captures the intended appearance. A launch planned for several non-EU markets needs a priority and disclosure strategy beyond the EU application.
Related service and practical guidance
Settle the claim before preparing the form
Identify the appearance that is commercially important and decide whether the whole product, a part or ornamentation deserves separate protection. Prepare consistent views and check the proposed applicant’s entitlement. A product description cannot repair contradictory representations. Keep an approved set of images so that a late marketing revision does not silently become the filed design.
Coordinate the territory and disclosure
EU registration covers the EU, while the UK, Switzerland and other non-EU markets require separate consideration. Review prior disclosures and any earlier application before scheduling the filing. Priority, publication deferment and renewal are different deadlines. A launch team should know which disclosures are authorised and which require further approval.
After the certificate
Record the exact representations, ownership and maintenance dates. Review new product versions rather than assuming they are all covered by the original registration. Registration does not establish novelty and individual character against all earlier designs, and it does not provide freedom to use third-party rights. These questions become particularly important before a warning letter, licence or acquisition.
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