International Registration of Industrial Designs under the Hague System

The legal protection of an industrial design (the appearance of a product) applies only within the country where it is registered. Therefore, if an applicant wishes to obtain international design protection, they normally need to file separate applications in each jurisdiction, which can be costly and time-consuming.

The Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs provides a solution, enabling protection in multiple jurisdictions through a single application, filed either directly with WIPO (the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization) or indirectly through the office of the applicant’s Contracting Party. No prior national application or registration is required.

Key benefits of the Hague System

• 
  Single application

  One filing, in one language, with one set of fees paid in Swiss francs

• 
  Wide territorial coverage

  Applicants may designate many countries or regional organizations participating in the Hague Agreement

• 
  Centralized management

  All subsequent changes (such as renewals, ownership changes etc.) are handled directly with WIPO

• 
  Legal equivalence

  An international registration has the same effect as a national registration in each designated country

In the region, Kazakhstan is the only jurisdiction that is not a Contracting Party to the Hague System, whereas all the others – Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – offer opportunities for multi-country design protection under the Hague Agreement design registration and are members of the system.

The European Union is also a Contracting Party, which makes it possible to obtain design protection across all EU member states (including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) through a single designation in the international application.

Examination and refusals

WIPO carries out only a formal examination. Substantive examination (e.g., novelty assessment) is conducted by the patent offices of the designated Contracting Parties, where required.

An applicant may include multiple designs in a single international application (up to a maximum of 100) provided they belong to the same class of the Locarno Classification. However, the offices of certain Contracting Parties may refuse to recognize the effects of an international registration containing multiple designs due to their domestic unity of design requirements.

• If a national office raises objections, it must issue a refusal within 6 months (or 12 months in some jurisdictions) from the date of publication.
• If no refusal is issued within the applicable time limit, the design is automatically deemed protected. Some offices may issue a statement confirming the grant of protection; however, the absence of such a statement has no legal effect.
• In case of refusal, applicants must respond or appeal directly before the national office in accordance with its procedures.

Applicants under the Hague System generally may not act directly before national offices. In most jurisdictions, local representation by a patent attorney is required.

MSP provides professional support in overcoming refusals and responding to office actions in all countries of interest, including Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Fees under the Hague System

The cost of an international design registration consists of the following official fees (payable in Swiss francs):

1. Basic fee
   • For one design: 397
   • For each additional design: 50
2. Publication fee
   • For each reproduction to be published: 17
3. Standard designation fee
   • Level I: For one design – 42; for each additional design – 2
   • Level II: For one design – 60; for each additional design – 20
   • Level III: For one design – 90; for each additional design – 50
4. Individual designation fee
   • The amount is set individually by each Contracting Party concerned.

These are official fees set by WIPO and national offices. Attorney fees are charged separately.

Term of protection and renewal

• Minimum protection: 5 years from the date of international registration.
• Renewals: Every 5 years, up to the maximum duration permitted under national law (typically 15–25 years).

MSP offers comprehensive services for registering industrial designs under the Hague System. You can reach our specialists through the Contact Us section of our website.

Country / Entity	Novelty examination	Refusal period	Maximum duration of protection	Requirement of unity of design	Standard designation fee / Individual designation fee (in Swiss francs)
Ukraine (UA)	No novelty examination	6 months	25 years	No	Level II
Georgia (GE)	Local novelty examination	6 months	25 years	No	Level III
Azerbaijan (AZ)	Novelty and originality examination	6 months	15 years	No	Level I
Armenia (AM)	Novelty examination	6 months	25 years	No	Level II
Estonia (EE)	No novelty examination	6 months	25 years	Yes	Level II
Kyrgyzstan (KG)	Novelty and originality examination	12 months	25 years	Yes	First design – 129; each additional design – 64
Latvia (LV)	No novelty examination	6 months	25 years	No	Level II
Lithuania (LT)	Limited novelty examination	12 months	25 years	No	Level III
Moldova (MD)	Limited novelty examination	12 months	25 years	No	First design – 65; each additional design – 7
Tajikistan (TJ)	Novelty and originality examination	6 months	15 years	Yes	Level III
Turkmenistan (TM)	Limited novelty examination	6 months	15 years	No	First design – 589; each additional design – 36
Uzbekistan (UZ)	Novelty and originality examination	12 months	15 years	Yes	First design – 262; each additional design – 43
European Union (EM)	No novelty examination	6 months	25 years	No	For each design – 59

* The information provided, including all fees and time frames, is accurate as of the date of publication; however, it may be subject to change.