Belarus to join the Hague Union

On April 19, 2021, the Republic of Belarus deposited to the World Intellectual Property Organization Act the instrument on its accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement on the International Registration of Industrial Designs (hereinafter – the Geneva Act).

In this regard, according to the notification of the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Geneva Act will come into force for the Republic of Belarus on July 19, 2021.

The use of the Geneva Act will make it easier for Belarusian applicants to obtain legal protection of industrial designs and respective patents simultaneously on the territory of all states parties to the Geneva Act (“one window” principle).

To obtain an industrial design patent in any state party to the Geneva Act, you will need to prepare one international application in one language and send it to one receiving office (International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization) with minimal expenditures (one set of fees in the same currency).

The use of the advantages provided by the Geneva act will also reduce the costs of Belarusian applicants to obtain the legal protection of its industrial design at the same time on the territory of several States parties to the specified act.

On July 19, 2021, the Republic of Belarus will become the 66th state party to the Geneva Act and the 75th – to the Hague Union.

Besides the Republic of Belarus, the advantages of the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs are used by 92 states.