News

Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs

May 4, 2015

The USPTO issued a press release today announcing the May 13, 2015 effective date for the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.  For full details, please see the USPTO press release below:

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Hague Agreement) will go into effect for the United States on May 13, 2015. Accordingly, beginning May 13, 2015, it will be possible for U.S. applicants to file a single international design application either with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) or through the USPTO as an office of indirect filing to obtain protection in a number of countries that are party to the Hague Agreement. In addition, applicants filing international design applications on or after May 13, 2015 will be able to designate the United States for design protection. U.S. design patents resulting from applications filed on or after May 13, 2015 will have a 15 year term from issuance.

Learn more at http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/hague-agreement-concerning-international-registration-industrial-designs