Revisions to Directive on the legal protection of EU Designs

Following the entry into force of a new Directive and an Amending Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on 8 December 2024, changes to the law providing for the protection of designs in the European Union (EU) will be introduced in phases on 1 May 2025 and on 1 July 2026. The changes which will be introduced aim to make it easier and cheaper to register designs at the EU level and to harmonise procedures between the European and national systems.

We discuss the most important changes which will come into force in the first phase on 1 May 2025.