The hague system

The Hague System is an international framework designed to simplify the process of filing and protecting designs and models worldwide. It was established by the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs.

• Objectives and Operation of the Haye System

1. Simplified International Registration :
   • The system allows creators to file a single application for registration of an industrial design with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This application is then valid in several member countries of the system.
2. Multinational Protection :
   • Once registered, industrial designs and models are protected in all member countries of the system where the applicant wishes to protect them, without the need to submit separate applications in each country.
3. Documentation :
   • The international filing is carried out in a single step with the WIPO. The international office manages the process and transmits the registration to the designated countries. The holder receives an international registration that is valid in the designated member countries.
4. Validity :
   • The duration of protection granted is generally 5 years, renewable for successive periods of 5 years, up to a maximum of 25 years, depending on the specific regulations of each country.
5. Flexibility and Management :
   • Applicants may add or remove countries from international protection at any time during the term of the registration, thus facilitating the management of intellectual property rights on a global scale.

• History and Background

• Creation : The Hague system was established in 1925 by the Hague Agreement and has been revised several times since, with additional agreements such as the Geneva Protocol (1999) and the Hague Agreement (1960), to extend and modernize the system.
• WIPO : The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), based in Geneva, supervises and administers the Hague System, in collaboration with the national intellectual property offices of member countries.

• Advantages

• Simplicity: Reduces the administrative complexity and costs associated with registering industrial designs and models in several countries.
• Effectiveness: Enables centralized and consistent management of industrial property rights worldwide.
• Time and cost savings: Avoids the need to file separate applications in each country and simplifies the management of renewals.

In short, the Hague System offers an effective solution for the international protection of industrial designs, thus facilitating the management of intellectual property rights in a globalized context.