Designs Law

The main purpose of design law is to protect the design element of industrial production and to promote innovative activity in the field of industries. In 1842, George Bruce was awarded the first design patent for fonts.

Designs Act, 2000

The New Designs Act, 2000 conforms to international trends in design administration.

The TRIPS Agreement provides minimum standards of protection of industrial designs.

Article 2.1 of TRIPS Agreement obligates its members to comply with Articles 1 to 12 and Article 19 of the Paris Convention.

Article 25.1 obligates the members to provide protection of independently created industrial designs that are new or original.

Article 25.2 mandates each member to ensure that requirement for securing protection for textile designs, in particular in regard
to any cost, examination or publication, do not unreasonably impair the opportunity to see and obtain such protection. This
obligation can, however, be met either through copyright law or design law.

Article 26.1 confers upon the owner of a protected industrial design, the right to prevent third parties not having his consent from
making, selling or importing articles bearing or embodying a design which is a copy, or substantially a copy, of the protected
design when such acts are undertaken for commercial purposes.

Article 26.2 provides limited exceptions that do not unreasonably conflict with the normal exploitation of protected industrial
designs and do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the owner, taking account of the legitimate interests of the
third parties.

Article 26.3 provides for a minimum term of protection of at-least 10 years

Books On Designs Law:

Design Law in Europe Report of the Committee to Consider the Law on Copyright and Designs Copyright and Designs Law:A Question of Balance Irish Copyright and Design Law

The Geneva Act (1999) Of The Hague Agreement Concerning The International Registration Of Industrial Designs