According to the width of territorial coverage desired, there are several ways to protect a design. In particular, you can take advantage of the design registration by registration in Italy, Community registration, International registration, or in individual foreign countries. Clearly, the costs increase with the territorial extension, but we can formulate to the customer the strategy of minimum cost.
A design is protected by filing a suitable application which contains drawings that depict the appearance to be protected. Advantageous is the possibility to file multiple designs, i.e. more than one variant of design at the same time for the same products (included in the same class of the International Classification of designs, Locarno Agreement).
The registered model or design stands for 5 years and is renewable every 5 years, for a maximum of 25 years.
The model or design is protected only within the Italian territory (a foreign competitor can freely exploit the design).
The European Union model or design is a single title, valid throughout the European Union. It is granted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (E.U.I.P.O.) in Alicante (Spain) after a merely formal examination: the requirements of novelty and individual character are not checked.
The model or design is registered for 5 years and renewable every 5 years, for a maximum of 25 years.
The model or design is protected only within the EEC (a competitor outside Europe can freely exploit the design).
This type of protection allows to attain protection in more states with a single application. You can file from 1 to 100 design templates as long as they belong to the same international class.
The time duration of the model or design depends on the national law of the state/s it is filed with.
It is possible to file a design in any foreign country by filing an appropriate application to the relevant national Patent Office.
The time duration of the model or design depends on the national law of such state.