Our very good friends at the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) are bouncing with excitement over the outcome of a new project to encourage excellence in the design sphere in Europe: the DesignEuropa Awards. According to OHIM:

The DesignEuropa Awards celebrate excellence in design and design management among Registered Community Design (RCD) holders, whether they are individual right holders, small businesses or large enterprises.

Design is a key driver of innovation and growth. Design-intensive industries generate 12% of all jobs in the European Union and almost 13% of its GDP. Companies that own designs have revenue that is 31% higher per employee than firms that do not.

The RCD is more than just an intellectual property right. It marks the jump from drawing board to production-ready, from idea to business asset. Since the creation of the RCD in 2003, OHIM has received nearly a million designs. This award seeks to recognise companies and designers that have brought outstanding design to the market with the protection of the Registered Community Design.

Do tell your friends, neighbours, clients and anyone else who might find this useful. For further details just click here.