The OEPM has just updated its Industrial Design Protection Guidelines to bring them in line with the new European legislation. A reform that expands what can be protected, how, and for how long.
Do you have a product with a distinctive shape? An app with a recognisable interface? Packaging that makes your brand stand out on the shelf? Industrial design is one of the most underrated —and most profitable— intellectual property rights on the market. And now, with the updated OEPM Guidelines published in January 2026, it is the perfect moment to ask yourself whether yours is protected.
The most relevant changes
| The digital world is now protected too The new Guidelines expressly recognise the protection of websites, graphical user interfaces, animated icons, and any digital design with its own appearance. If your business also lives on screen, your design can —and should— be registered. |
| Animated designs: motion as a protectable design A design does not have to be static. The Guidelines now regulate in detail how to submit sequences of snapshots to protect designs in motion: from animated logos to interface transitions. The appearance of a design at different points in time is also a design. |
| Greater clarity on novelty and individual character The reform strengthens the criteria for assessing whether a design is new and has individual character, aligning with CJEU case law. In addition, the 12-month grace period is consolidated: if you disclose your design before filing —at a trade fair, on social media, in the press— you can still protect it. |
| Partial disclaimers with greater precision The Guidelines set out in greater detail the techniques for delimiting what is and is not claimed: broken lines, blurring, colour shading. A key strategic tool for stronger, more defensible registrations. |
Why register an industrial design?
An industrial design registration grants the exclusive right to use that appearance —and to prevent others from doing so— for up to 25 years. It is one of the fastest intellectual property titles to obtain, the most cost-effective to maintain, and in many sectors, the most effective tool for tackling unfair competition and copying.
Almost anything with an appearance can be protected: furniture, packaging, textiles, vehicles, digital interfaces, footwear, accessories, appliances. If it can be seen, it can be registered.
| Do you have a design worth protecting? At 1919 POLO we have been helping businesses and creators protect their image and identity for years. If you have a design —or think you might— we would be delighted to assess it with you. Get in touch. |
