September 18, 2019

EAPO introduces new Industrial Design Protocol

On September 9, 2019, in Nur-Sultan, five countries acceded to the Protocol on Protection of Industrial Designs to the Eurasian Patent Convention (EAPC). Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia constitute the current member states of the convention which signed the Protocol.

The EAPC was first signed on September 9, 1994, marking the recent 25th anniversary with a move that will drive the future of the Eurasian patent system forward. The widening of the scope of the EAPC signifies a new era for the intellectual property field in Eurasia.

Once in force, the Protocol will allow industrial designs to be valid within the member states of the EAPC. To obtain protection for a design, it will be necessary to file a single application to the Eurasian Patent Office and pay a single set of fees. As per the Protocol, industrial design patents will be valid for five years with the possibility of renewal for subsequent periods of 5 years thereafter. The maximum term of protection is 25 years from the filing date of the Eurasian design application.

The simplification of the registration procedure for designs within the EAPC member-states is hoped to lead to an increase in design applications filing, expanding the economic development of the member states.

 

Author: Danielle Carvey
Share: