CNIPA Publishes Guidelines on Application for International Registration of Designs

On 5 May 2022, the Geneva Act (1999) of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs ("the Hague Agreement") came into effect in China. To assist innovative entities in using the Hague system effectively to carry out global layout and enhance innovation capabilities of designs, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has recently published the Guidelines on Application for International Registration of Designs for the reference of relevant innovation entities.

The Guidelines brief on the Hague Agreement and overview the procedures for international design application; highlight the matters to note on the examination procedure at the International Bureau and the international registration and publication as well as on examination procedure at the CNIPA; state the requirements on the views to be submitted; and set forth the application fees for international design registration.

Some useful links are also provided in the Guidelines, including the eHague platform of the WIPO for applicants to submit electronic applications for international design registration and handling related matters (https://hague.wipo.int/#/landing/home), fee calculator for international design application (https://www.wipo.int/hague/en/fees/calculator.jsp), and CNIPA's special webpage on the Hague Agreement (https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/col/col2893/index.html).

Related link: Guidelines on Application for International Registration of Designs (Chinese only)