"Fast-Track" EU Design Registrations

"Fast-track" EU design registrations

 

On October 22, 2008, the Trademarks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union announced that its has introduced a "fast-track" registration for Community designs which should result in around 30% of applications being registered in under 10 days. The fast-track process identifies the more straightforward applications which come by e-filing (or mail); either have no priority or come with all the priority documents attached; and are paid for via an OHIM current account.

At present, OHIM's service standards specify that 80% of designs should be registered in under six weeks, but Design Department Director Pedro Rodinger says that by meeting the criteria set out above, users can benefit from much faster registration. "We are hoping that this information will encourage more users to adopt simple measures such as opening an OHIM current account, which can make a big difference to the speed of registration. When the new e-filing system for designs is introduced next year, we hope to make even more dramatic improvements in timescales."

For more information see October's Alicante News