European Union Design Law: A Practitioner's Guide

• Draws not only on UK and OHIM decisions, but also national office and court decisions from a number of member states
• Takes a practical approach, suggesting answers to key problems such as how to interpret Community designs, who is the 'informed user' and how to assess 'overall impression'
• Includes extensive analysis of both the Designs Directive and the Designs Regulation
• Enriched by examples from litigated cases across the EU

Recent years have seen many fundamental changes in European designs law, including the emergence of the Designs Directive in 1998 and the Designs Regulation in 2001. These pieces of legislation introduce major changes to the protection of industrial and ornamental designs throughout the European Union. 

Many issues covered in the legislation remain unlitigated, or guidance has not yet been provided by superior tribunals. European Union Design Law provides a much-needed guide to the new law and practice. Beginning with a short history of the development of the legislation, Stone moves on to a detailed examination of the interpretation provided by OHIM, the Court of Justice and the General Court, and the Community Design Courts of the EU Member States. Separate chapters deal with RCD filing and invalidity, unregistered Community designs, the implementation of the Designs Directive by the member states, and the complex jurisdictional web for enforcing pan-EU rights.

Readership: Barristers and solicitors specializing in intellectual property law. Patent and trade mark attorneys in the UK and Continental Europe. In-house IP departments at manufacturing companies. National designs registries (including OHIM) and tribunals with design responsibilities, including the Court of Justice, the General Court, the Community Designs courts and national courts in EU Member States.