On March 13, 2018, the United Kingdom ratified the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement so that, starting next June 13 and joining the other 67 countries, including the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia or the European Union, it will be part of the International Design System managed by WIPO.
The accession of the United Kingdom to the international design protection system is especially important due to its departure from the European Union since, as of March 2019, new international design applications that designate the European Union will not obtain protection in the United Kingdom as it had been happening since 2008. Thus, an international design will have to designate the United Kingdom individually to obtain protection in this country.
With the incorporation of the United Kingdom into the International Design System, it becomes an even more attractive option, especially for SMEs, to protect one of its most valuable industrial property assets, by simplifying and harmonizing its processing in different countries.
