The Locarno Classification, or the International Classification for Industrial Designs, is a system used to determine classes of goods in relation to the registration of industrial designs. The Classification was established by the Locarno Agreement, a multilateral treaty which was initially adopted in 1968, and is administered by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO).
The Locarno Classification can be accessed online via the official WIPO IP Portal, which is published in both the English and French language. The Classification itself is revised continuously by a Committee of Experts, and new editions enter into force on a bi-annual basis on January 1.
The Locarno Classification comprises a list of 32 individual classes relating to the goods being registered as industrial designs, as well as corresponding subclasses. Both classes and subclasses provide for a generalised reference as to which type of goods should belong to each one.
The classification also features a list of goods in relation to industrial designs, in alphabetical order, indicating both the classes and subclasses to which they relate. The list of goods contains over 5000 entries in the English language and provides a more in depth insight into the classification of a design, alongside the explanatory notes.
All competent national offices of the Contracting Parties to the Locarno Agreement are obliged to use the Locarno Classification by way of including the numbers corresponding to classes and subclasses of the designs in its official documents and publications. However, the classification is also utilised by the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), as well as the International Bureau of WIPO in the context of the Hague System. To date, there are 60 Contracting States which are a party to the Locarno Agreement.
The Locarno Classification is a multifaceted system which assists users with classifying goods relating to industrial design applications using a single, uniform system. This, in turn, removes the need to reclassify the goods when filing for design protection in multiple jurisdictions according to each individual national classification system and also assists in the conduct of industrial design searches.
If you are interested in applying for industrial design protection, or are keen to know more about the Locarno Classification, feel free to contact us.