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Design Protection Abroad

Overview

Registered designs only have legal effect in the country in which they are registered (territoriality principle). That means that designs registered at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) are protected in the Federal Republic of Germany only.

If you need protection for your design outside Germany, the following two options are available to you:

• the application for a Community design
• the international application

The registered Community design

The registered Community design provides uniform protection in all member states of the European Union with a single application.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante (Spain) is in charge of the registration of Community designs. Information is available on the homepage of EUIPO.

The international registration

Under the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, it is possible to register a design in an international register.

The Hague system consists of various acts (Hague Act, Geneva Act), which individual countries, including Germany and France, but also the European Union have become party to. It does not provide "worldwide" protection, but only covers those contracting parties that you designate in the application and for which you pay the corresponding application fee.

The international application is processed by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Forms and information in English, French and Spanish are available on the WIPO homepage.

Bild: iStock.com/Ismagilov

Last updated: 30 March 2026