UK Design Framework Consultation: An Analysis Of The Responses

Following our previous post regarding the public consultation recently carried out by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO or IPO), we have reviewed the analysis of responses from the IPO and detail these in the sections below.

The consultation has been set out under several key headings:

1. Registered - search and examination
2. Simplifying the designs system
3. Disclosure of supplementary unregistered designs
4. Future technologies
5. Deferment
6. Enforcement

For each section of the consolation, the government has promised to investigate the findings further and look at implementing changes where possible. It will be interesting to see what changes are introduced and how these will impact the designs system, especially in relation to the possibility of search and examination for registered deigns - which received mixed reviews from the respondents. We also believe the IPO has an opportunity to be at the forefront of protecting digital designs, e.g.