The IPO’s new guidance covers the changes for businesses and holders of international EU protected designs now that the Brexit transition period has ended.

The guidance explains how protected international design registrations designating the EU are no longer valid in the UK, following the end of the Brexit transition period on 1 January 2021. These rights have been automatically replaced by UK rights.

The newly created UK designs are referred to as re-registered international designs from each international (EU) design that held protected status immediately before 1 January 2021.

These UK rights are identical to the re-registered designs created from registered community designs (RCD). They are independent UK rights, and so may be challenged, assigned, licensed or renewed separately from the original international (EU) design.

The guidance covers:

• the new numbering system for re-registered international designs;
• what holders of applications for international designs pending on 1 January 2021 should do;
• opting out of having a re-registered international design;
• renewals and restoration; and
• deferred publication.

To access the new guidance, click here.