The Hague System now has 88 members covering a huge territory, and makes it easy to protect designs internationally. But Robert Stutz, Chair of the Designs Team, said the accession of countries such as Japan, South Korea and the United States (all of which have substantive examination for design applications) has brought some challenges. “There are certain pitfalls you don’t want to step into, or you might end up with an invalid design,” he explained.
These potential pitfalls mean that many users are sceptical about the system, he added, and the new events are designed to provide more information and answer users’ questions. “We need to do something to raise awareness of Hague,” said Robert, who is a partner of Beutler Künzi Stutz.
The event grew out of a bilateral meeting held between MARQUES and WIPO, and Gregoire Bisson, Director of The Hague Registry at WIPO, will speak about the recent accessions at the meeting.
The other presentation will cover design disclosure requirements, and will be given by Oliver Nilgen of Meissner Bolte, a member of the Designs Team. Meissner Bolte is hosting the event in Munich.
The event will start at 15.30 and finish with a networking reception at 18.00. “We expect it to be quite interactive with questions, contributions and exchanges on individual’s experiences,” said Robert.
The event is the first in a series on the Hague System, with subsequent meetings expected to be held in France, Italy, the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands. There will also be a workshop on the topic at the MARQUES Annual Conference in Prague this year.
For more information, and to register, visit the relevant page on the MARQUES website. Further information about future events will be posted there when available.
Robert Stutz, Chair of the Designs Team
Issue 075
