WIPO Design Law Treaty adopted

On 22 November, the Design Law Treaty (DLT) was adopted following the successful conclusion of negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This is the second WIPO treaty to be adopted this year, highlighting the vitality of multilateralism in intellectual property (‘IP’) law and the ability to achieve consensus despite diverse perspectives on IP.

The DLT sets a new global standard for design law, a welcome development for the EU, where design-intensive industries play a crucial role in the economy. It will enhance the protection of design rights, benefiting both individual designers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The primary goal of the DLT is to create a more accessible and efficient system for design protection worldwide. The expected outcomes include reduced costs and complexity, faster processing times, and greater predictability and legal certainty for designers. This international initiative sends a positive signal, highlighting the global importance of robust design protection, particularly for individual creators and SMEs.

While the EU has recently modernised its design legislation, the adoption of the DLT is a significant step in setting a global benchmark, supporting the creative economy and reinforcing the importance of international cooperation in intellectual property.

• Press release (WIPO)
• Industrial design protection webpage