The United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum and the implications for brands, Designs and Patents (part 2 – Designs)

Brexit – der momentane Stand

Am 23. Juni 2016 hat eine knappe Mehrheit der Briten für den Brexit, also für den Austritt aus der Europäischen Union gestimmt. Nach zähen Verhandlungen über drei wichtige Aspekte des Austritts (finanzielle Verpflichtungen des Vereinigten Königreichs, die Grenze zwischen Nordirland und Irland sowie die zukünftigen Rechte von EU-Bürgern im Vereinigten Königreich und der Bürger des Vereinigten Königreichs in der Europäischen Union) sind die Verhandlungen nunmehr in die zweite Phase eingetreten, in der über die zukünftigen Beziehungen des Vereinigten Königreichs und der EU verhandelt werden soll, sowie über eine eventuelle Übergangsphase nach dem EU-Austritt am 29.März 2019 [BBC:”No turning back on Brexit as Article 50 triggered”].

The United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum is on Union brands, have Community designs and European patents varying degrees of impact, in part by further negotiations, particularly in the next 15 months depend. Today's second part of this series deals with the consequences for Community Design, so the “Design” The European Union.

Community Design

The Community design is effective only in the Member States of the EU (items 1, Abs. 3 GGV). Leaves the United Kingdom, the EU, lose all the registered Community design and “unregistered Community design” (items 11, GGV) in the UK their effectiveness [Notification of the EUIPO 01.12.2017]. Nicht eingetragene Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmuster sind dabei kurzlebige Design-Schutzrechte (term of three years), which can arise only through the first publication in the EU and have undermined any registration process. For comparison, a registered Community design may be up to 25 enjoy years of protection in the Union.

Furthermore, British lawyers should probably will no longer appear before the EUIPO and act as a representative for Community designs (items 78 GGV), at least if it does not come in this regard to an agreement on a special.

Whether and in what form the United Kingdom with the EU to respect. of dealing with earlier registered Community designs and unregistered Community designs is some, is completely unclear at the present time. Three scenarios currently appear to imagine:

1. no agreement
   the United Kingdom and the EU should not agree on a special regime for registered Community designs and unregistered Community design, so at the time of exit they lose their effect in the United Kingdom. So for the remaining term of the design of this is only in the remaining 27 Staaten der Europäischen Union Wirkung. Es sei darauf hingewiesen, that the scenario “no agreement” not to be equated with a “no deal” – United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum without any agreements between the EU and the UK. So it is quite conceivable, that the above-mentioned problem due to lack of time (particularly as a result of the British negotiating tactic) is not clarified, be if too many other issues considered more important under time pressure.
2. Agreement on the further recognition of Altgeschmacksmustern
   The UK and the EU could agree on a transitional arrangement for such designs, which have already been registered or applied for the exit time. This design could then continue to be effective in the United Kingdom, and the existing Community design courts in the United Kingdom could continue to act for a few more years. In diesem Fall könnten aber auch weiterhin Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmustergerichte in anderen EU-Staaten in einigen Fällen über die Durchsetzung im Vereinigten Königreich entscheiden und der Europäische Gerichtshof (ECJ) would in this way on the top decision-making bodies in the UK and Northern Ireland in another (small) Bereich des Rechts. Grundsätzlich erscheint es eher unwahrscheinlich, that the British government agrees a settlement, the further jurisdiction of British courts not in the UK accepted even after the withdrawal from the European Union. Already on the rights of EU citizens in the United Kingdom after leaving the possible further jurisdiction of the Court within the British Conservative Party of Prime Minister Theresa May is very controversial [Guardian:”Brexit MPs angry as Theresa May accepts continuing role of EU court]. scenario 2. So should encounter little acceptance on the British negotiating page.
3. Agreement on conversion into national designs
   The UK and the EU could agree on a different transitional arrangements for such designs, which have already been registered or applied at the time of exit. So a partial conversion might be to allowing in national designs Kingdom in United without this remaining for the already registered Community design for your remaining time “EU27”-Community design would have negative consequences.

It remains to be considered, dass das Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmuster im Gegensatz zur Unionsmarke, which can be renewed indefinitely, is by nature a right to limited time. So it seems unlikely, that for the outlined problem elaborate Recognition- or conversion scheme (scenario 2 or 3) is created, considering how many other legal issues need to be resolved in the negotiations. Furthermore, to imagine, that is subsequently made for the yet to be negotiated transition period of a few years at the outlet of the United Kingdom from the EU for a transitional regime for Community Design, for example as in Scenario 2, but only for the period of transition.

As Conclusion for owners and applicants for Community designs can be drawn:

• Already losing RCD (in the absence of relevant agreement) at the time of exit from the EU its effect in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Before registering a new Community design should already be thinking about now, whether a national British design should be filed simultaneously