ISRAEL JOINS AN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL DESIGN TREATY

On October 3, 2019 Israel deposited its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act (1999) of the Hague Agreement, relating to Industrial Designs.  The 1999 Act will enter force in Israel on January 3, 2020.

Commencing January 3, 2020, Israeli companies and individuals will be able to register an industrial design abroad by filing a single application with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), enabling design owners to protect their designs with minimum formalities in multiple countries or regions.

Additionally, foreign companies, based in countries which are party to the Hague Agreement, will be able to file their industrial designs in Israel, with ease and relatively little expense.

Unfortunately, brand owners often overlook the advantages of registering designs.  In comparison to trademarks and patents, designs are less expensive to register and maintain. Once registered, brand owners may protect their brands’ visual appearance against imitators and infringers.

For example, an alcohol brand owner may register the beverage’s bottle shape, an automobile manufacturer may register the shape of its vehicle, a fashion brand owner may register its clothing, etc.  The possibilities of design protection are endless.

With the Hague Agreement entering force in Israel, now is the time for manufacturers and brand owners to take the appropriate measures and commence registering their industrial designs in Israel.