Design protects the external appearance of a product – shape, Contour, Color, surface. It supplements the patent protection there, where the technology alone cannot be protected or where imitators mainly copy the appearance.

Protection options

• Registered Design (DPMA): Protection for Germany, extendable up to 25 Years.
• Registered EU design (euipo): a protective right for all member states, also up to 25 Years.
• Unregistered EU design: arises automatically upon publication in the EU, but only protects for three years and only against copies.
• International design registration (Hague system): for markets outside the EU.

Take advantage of the grace period

Unlike a patent, you can show a design yourself up to twelve months before registration - for example at a trade fair -, without losing the ability to protect. We will help you, to plan this deadline specifically and to choose the representations accordingly, that the scope of protection remains as broad as possible.

Design Violations

We take action against imitations – out of court, in expedited proceedings, with customs confiscation – and defend you against unjustified claims, also in combination with that protection against imitation under competition law.