International Classification for Industrial Designs under the Locarno Agreement

Overview

 

What is the Locarno Classification?

The Locarno Classification consists of a classification for industrial designs.

Origin of the Locarno Classification

The Locarno Classification is based on a multilateral treaty administered by WIPO. This treaty is called the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs, which was concluded in 1968. This Classification is commonly referred to as the Locarno Classification. The Agreement is open to States party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.

 

How is it applied?

The trademark offices of the contracting States of the Locarno Agreement are required to include in the official documents reflecting the deposit or registration of industrial designs the numbers of the classes and subclasses of the Classification into which the goods incorporating the designs belong. They must do the same in any publication which the offices issue in respect of the deposit or registration.

 

Advantages and uniqueness of the Locarno Classification

Use of the Locarno Classification by national offices has the advantage of filing industrial designs with reference to a single classification system. This procedure facilitates industrial design searches and obviates substantial reclassification work when documents are exchanged at the international level.

 

Is it used in many countries?

On May 1, 2007, 49 States were party to the Locarno Agreement. They have adopted and apply the Locarno Classification for Industrial Designs. Moreover, one organization and the International Bureau of WIPO in the administration of the Hague Agreement actually use the Locarno Classification.

 

What is the structure of the Locarno Classification?

The Locarno Classification comprises a list of 32 classes and 223 subclasses with explanatory notes and an alphabetical list of goods in which industrial designs are incorporated, with an indication of the classes and subclasses into which they fall. This list contains some 6,831 indications of different kinds of goods.

 

Is it updated?

In order to keep the Locarno Classification up to date, it is continuously revised and a new edition is published every five years. The current (eighth) edition has been in force since January 1, 2004. The revision is carried out by a Committee of Experts set under the Locarno Agreement. All States party to the Agreement are members of the Committee of Experts.

 

How is it presented?

The authentic versions of the eighth edition of the Locarno Classification (English and French) are published as printed publications by WIPO on paper (WIPO publication No. 501 - Price: 100 Swiss francs). The Locarno Classification is also available on diskette (format ASCII), on CD-ROM (see below) and on the Internet.

 

CD-ROM

The eighth edition of the Locarno Classification (in English and French) is also published on a CD-ROM called NIVILO:CLASS. Version 2.1 of this disk (WIPO publication No. CD-Nivilo - Price: 60 Swiss francs) also contains the authentic versions (English and French) of the current editions of the Nice and Vienna Classifications (the ninth and sixth editions, respectively).

 

Where can I obtain it?