BUYUSA.GOV -- U.S. Commercial Service

U.S. Mission to the European Union

MR-80 / Protecting Designs in the European Union

Summary
U.S. exporters targeting the European Union market with products whose added value derives in part from their unique outward appearance (the product not the exporter) should consider registering the design using an EU-wide industrial property protection instrument: the Registered Community Design (RCD). This report sets out the importance of protecting designs, describes the industrial property protection provided to designs in the EU, and explains how to apply for an RCD.