31.08.2021
The deadline for re-filing EU designs in the UK is looming on 30 September 2021. Make sure your UK rights are in place before this deadline, and in particular, double check these three scenarios where your UK design rights may not have been created automatically.
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If your design right was registered (and this means not just filed, but granted, with the registration certificate issued) before 31 December 2020, a UK right will have been created automatically for you.
If your design right was filed before 31 December 2020, but registered on or after 1 January 2021, then the UK right will not be granted automatically: you will need to re-file a UK right if you want UK protection, which you can do up to 30 September 2021.
Beware that the critical date is the date on which the design became registered – not its filing date. Confusingly, this is also not the ‘Registration date’ as noted on the EUIPO design register. This Registration date is the date from which the design has legal effect – it will be the same as the filing date, and it is not the date on which the design became registered. If you work only from the filing date or the registration dated as noted on the register you may miss some UK rights!
EU designs tend to proceed to registration quickly, meaning that relatively few will have been filed but not yet registered on 31 December 2020. But you should check for the following situations that are most likley to put EU designs in the 'danger' zone:
If in doubt, check the EUIPO register for your design and have a look at the timeline graphic. It will show the date when your design was 'Registered and fully published' - see the example below. If this is on or after 1 January 2021, as in this example, then a UK right was not automatically created and you will need to re-file a UK design right by 30 September if you want UK protection.
If you need help re-filing your EU design in the UK, or have any questions about Brexit or designs, get in touch!
14.02.2024
The Gold Standard - Keltie Recognised in WTR 1000 2024Keltie's UK trade mark team has once again achieved the prestigious gold ranking in the WTR 1000 for trade mark prosecution and strategy. Keltie’s Irish team has also been confirmed in the silver ranking achieved last year.
30.04.2025
The ’dos and don’ts’ when filing EU Customs Applications for Action (AFAs)Keltie moderated the EUIPO and Irish Customs webinar which focused on the ‘dos and don’ts’ when filing EU AFAs. This interactive session was well attended by Intellectual Property (‘IP’) rights holders as well as legal representatives. The aim of this session was to raise awareness and encourage IP rights holders to adopt a proactive approach by filing AFAs in order to mitigate the risk of infringing and counterfeit goods crossing borders and reduce the need for filing Ex-officio AFAs where goods have been seized but AFAs are not in place.
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