Patent Information Users Group, Inc.

WIPO webinar “Overview of the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs” July 23, 2020  3:00 AM - 4:00 AM EDT| 09:00 CET | 12:30 PM IST

This webinar session will present an overview of the recent developments of the Hague System, with emphasis on the practical information on how the System works and its potential benefits for businesses in China and abroad in seeking protection of their designs internationally. The session will further focus on awareness raising regarding the Hague online resources, as well as electronic tools and eservices to show participants how to navigate the Hague webpage, as part of due diligence in the preparation of an international application and in the management of an international registration. Other issues will be addressed during a fifteen-minute question and answer (Q&A) session.

HIGH IMPORTANCE: Please ensure that the GoToWebinar application is downloaded on the device that you intend to use, to avoid any possible connection problems and, on the day of the webinar, kindly join us 15 minutes in advance to check and test your IT connections. Thank you for your attention.

 Source and a registration link

Note: There have been no recording posted for Hague System Webinars.  (A webinar Exploring the Hague System's Online Resources, June 30, 2020, 10 AM EDT | 16 CET has been missed, no recording)

 See details on the Hague System at WIPO | Hague website:

Hague – The International Design System

The Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs provides a practical business solution for registering up to 100 designs in 74 contracting parties covering 91 countries, through the filing of one single international application.

(This website includes a section How to Search the International Register)

Additional information:

Related WIPO Presentations and publications

Overview of the Hague System Seminar on the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs (32 p.)

Publication of the International Registration and Tasks of the Designated Office (16 p.) (Publication in IB, Deferment of Publication, Refusals, Grant of Protection)

A booklet: WIPO. The Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs: Main Features and Advantages, 2019. 16 p. (PDF/EN) (other languages).

For more details see:

Guide for Users (Latest revision: June 2020) (pdf, 126 p.)

Common Regulations Under the 1999 Act and the 1960 Act of the Hague Agreement (as in force on January 1, 2019, 45 p.)

See also

2015 Fitch & Richardson webinar:: Understanding the New International Design Registration (IDR) System (recorded Jun 2015, 1:03:36) (slides: 44 p.; update to a slide 6: SG, RU, CA, IL has joined Hague in 2015-2020). For concise summary of Hague System, see a post in Fish’ Trademark and Copyright Blog (June 25, 2015) [The webinar has been recorded just after US became a member of Hague System at May 13, 2015]

Hague System Information Sources:

International Designs Bulletin (2012-) and International Designs Bulletin Archives  (2004/4 -2011/12) (see Notes on Publication  for details) 

The Bulletin is the official publication of the Hague System. It contains data regarding new international registrations, renewals, and modifications affecting existing international registrations.

All bulletins records are searchable by type of legal event (registration, renewals, non-renewed registrations, change of ownership, refusals, grants after refusals, invalidations, etc.)  and  by registration number, holder, international registration date, Locarno classification, etc. (where applicable)  within each bulletin.

The Hague Express Database, updated weekly, includes bibliographical data and, as far as international registrations governed exclusively or partly by the 1999 and/or by the 1960 Act(s) of the Hague Agreement are concerned, reproductions of industrial designs relating to published bearing a registration date as from January 3, 1985. International registrations that have lapsed are not removed from the database.

Note: The database records, in addition, to searchable bibliographic data, contains current status and a history of legal events related to international registration: grants, refusals, change of ownerships, etc., however, the legal history part of records are not searchable. See an example  of a detailed record below.

Example: DM/087 426 is a registration of German applicant (filed and registered Aug. 11, 2015 with 12 designs for (54) interdental cleaner and Sets of interdental cleaners, (51)Locarno Classification Cl.04-02; (81) Designated Contracting Parties: III.[Geneva (1999)Act]: US,JP,CH . A record history: US: Refusal  (07/27/2016, election requirement; Grant: (05/16/2017) for designs Nos. 1-4,8-12 [published registrations are searchable in PAIR by DM numbers]; JP: Partial refusals  for designs Nos. 1-12 (28.04.2016); Statement of Grant of Protection Following a Refusal for designs Nos. 2,4,12,10,8,6,9 (17.05.2017-30.03.2018); Limitations: designs (No(s) 1, 3, 5, 7, 11) are excluded from registration  (01.07.2020); CH: Presumably all designs are granted, no records on refusal.

Note: US prosecution of DM/087 426 deserves additional analysis. US patent law allows examiners issues restriction requirement  for independent patently distinct inventions. An original international design registration application claims 12 designs. Refusing this application, an examiner requested an applicant to select one of four group of designs: Group 1 (Embodiment 1) - Designs No. 1, 5,9, Group 2 (Designs 2, 6,10), Group 3 (Designs 3, 7,11) and Group 4 (Designs 4,8,12). An applicant elected Group 4, and then file three divisional applications for Group 1, 2, 3. This resulted in issuance four US design  patents (USD787128, USD795430, USD794793 and USD802137) covering all 12 designs  from international design registration (see attached files with illustration Group 1-4. Note that only the first grant has reported to IB and recorded in the International  Design Register, because divisional applications from  DM/087426 (35/500,137) filed  as national design applications (29/xxxx,xxxx).   Also listen discussion  of slide 4 of the 2015 Fish & Richardson webinar (at 2:40) what  mean a design concept in US design patents (in contrast with multiple designs in EU) which may explain why an examiner have grouped  different designs together   

See also information on USPTO website related to Hague Agreement concerning the international registration of industrial designs  for further details  on US practice.

Update 7/23/2020: discussion of US prosecution of an  international design registration DM/087426 (35/500,137) with multiple designs  has been added.