EU Council updates design laws for digital era

The EU Council has adopted new legislative acts to improve the safety of industrial designs in the era of digital designs and 3D printing, including a “repair clause” exempting spare parts from design protection. These regulations will harmonize procedures between European and national systems and will come into effect soon after being published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Harmonizing design procedures is crucial for the EU, as design-intensive industries make up a significant portion of the Union’s GDP and job market, prompting the need for updated design protection provisions after nearly 20 years.

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