Unregistered design right

Some countries and regions recognise unregistered rights in original designs.

European Union

Within the EU area design rights can still be asserted even if they have not been registered with the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM)[1]. Under this system your get protection for 3 years after which they are not renewable.

In addition to the EU-wide Unregistered Design Right, some EU member states have their own national regimes providing protection for designs without a registration process. Such national rights subsist alongside the EU-wide unitary right.

United Kingdom

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 created a design right for original designs. UK Design Right protects any aspect of the shape or configuration of an article, and lasts either for 10 years (to the end of the calendar year) from when an article to the design was first made available, or 15 years (to the end of the calendar year) from when the design was first made. The shorter of the two periods always applies.