Designs
Designs constitute an industrial property right protecting the aesthetic appearance of industrial and artisanal products. This protection covers the distinctive visual appearance of a product: design, shapes, colors, contours, materials and ornamentation.
A protected design may relate to:
- The general appearance of an industrial or artisanal product;
- The characteristic lines, contours, colours and shapes;
- The material and ornamentation of the product;
- The packaging and wrapping;
- Graphic symbols and typographic characters;
- Animations and movements.
French designs vs European Union designs
Registering a design with the French IP office (INPI) allows you to protect your creation on French territory for up to 25 years (renewable every 5 years). This is a simple and economical option if your market is national.
The EU design is unitary in nature, extending to the entire European Union territory. Designers have two options:
- Registered EU design: protection for up to 25 years via the EUIPO
- Unregistered EU design: automatic protection for 3 years from the first public disclosure in the EU
This system is particularly suitable for companies with an international focus or those operating in European markets.
Designs: conditions for protection
To be valid, a design must meet several criteria.
- Novelty: your creation must not have been made public prior to filing (except for a 12-month grace period). It is therefore essential to monitor the competition before any publication.
- Individual character or distinctiveness: the design must produce a visual impression that is different from that of other existing designs, for a so-called ‘informed’ user. This assessment varies according to the sector of activity and the degree of freedom of the creator.
- Exclusion of technical function: the appearance of the design must not be dictated exclusively by its technical function. Purely functional characteristics are protected by patents and not by designs.
Who owns the rights to a design?
In principle, the rights to a design belong to the creator or their beneficiaries.
However:
- If the design is created under an employment contract, the rights belong to the employer.
- If the creation is carried out by a service provider, a transfer or licence agreement is essential.
- In the case of co-creation, an agreement between the owners is strongly recommended in order to organise the exploitation rights.
How to register a design?
In France: registration with the French IP office (INPI). Registration is done online on the INPI website. Initial protection lasts for 5 years and is renewable up to 25 years.
In the European Union: registration with the EUIPO. The centralised procedure allows multiple designs to be registered at once via multiple filing.
Can a design be challenged?
An action for invalidity may be brought on the following grounds:
- the design lacks novelty or individual character;
- it is purely functional;
- it was filed by a person who does not hold the rights;
- it contravenes public policy or prior rights (prior designs, trademarks, copyright, etc.).
Actions for invalidity are brought before the specialised jurisdictions for French designs and unregistered EU designs, and before the EUIPO for registered EU designs.
What to do in the event of infringement of your design?
The owner has an exclusive right of use: the owner can prohibit any reproduction or imitation of its creation, provided that it produces the same overall impression.
The registered EU design also prohibits copies in transit on the EU territory and offers the possibility of taking action against digital reproduction, including by 3D printing or CAD files.
The role of the lawyer in design
Advisory & Strategy
We advise you on the strategic protection of designs in France and worldwide.
We analyse the novelty and distinctive character of your creations, verify their availability, assist you in managing confidentiality prior to filing, and monitor competing designs that have been filed.
Contracts & Valuation
We structure and secure the ownership and exploitation of your designs (transfer of rights, licensing, commissioning, co-creation, subcontracting, white labelling) by formalising the conditions of use (duration, territory, re-use) and supporting their economic exploitation (sale, franchising, industrial partnerships, licensing).
Defence & Litigation
We defend your designs - whether registered or unregistered - against any infringement, assist you in actions for the invalidity of competing designs, or in any proceedings before the jurisdictions and offices, by gathering evidence of disclosure and use to ensure their protection.