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ARTICLE · 20 JUNE 2024

CIPO Extends Industrial Design Protection To Buildings And Structures

The Industrial Design Office has announced that it is changing its practice with respect to industrial designs applied to buildings or structures.

GlobalIntellectual Property

The Industrial Design Office has announced that it is changing its practice with respect to industrial designs applied to buildings or structures.

Under the previous policy, designs applied to buildings or structures to be constructed on-site were not registrable because they were not considered to be "finished articles" to which a design may be applied. They were only registrable if the designs were capable of being "preformed, portable and delivered to purchasers as finished articles or in sections to be put together by a simple operation such as bolting".

As of June 14, 2024, the Office will take the position that buildings and structures, including those constructed on-site, may be acceptable finished articles to which a design can be applied. The revised practice is applicable to all pending applications, regardless of their filing date.

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