International Design Applications Under The Hague System

1. Brief Introduction of the Hague System

The Hague System for international design applications offers the owner of a design a means of obtaining up to 15 years of protection in several countries by filing one application in one language, with one set of fees in one currency.

By filing a single international application with WIPO, the Hague System implements a practical business solution for registering up to 100 designs in 96 countries at one time, including two inter-governmental organizations: the African Intellectual Property Organization and the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Essentially, it provides global coverage for design application filings, much like the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) does for patent applications. To be eligible to use the Hague System, individuals must meet any of the criteria below: