如何注册欧盟外观设计？

Designs are well defined in the European Union: 'The appearance of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture and/or materials of the product itself and/or its ornamentation'. (Article 3 of the Design Regulation)

欧盟对外观设计有明确的定义：“由产品本身的线条、轮廓、颜色、形状、质地和/或材料的特征产生的整个或部分产品的外观和/ 或它的装饰”。（外观设计法第3条）

Almost any industrial or handicraft item can be eligible for design protection (except for computer programs)

几乎所有工业品和手工艺品都有资格获得外观设计保护（计算机程序除外）。

Examples of designs:

外观设计实例：

A product / set of products

RCD 002490193-0001

Packaging of products

RCD 002710731-0001                 

Composite products

RCD 000408166-0001  

 Parts of products

 RCD 229752-0001

Logos  

RCD 000754098-0001         

Computer icons

RCD 003001494-0002

Typefaces

RCD 004007441-0016 

Graphic designs                                   

RCD 004547370-0002    

Get-ups 

RCD 002213793-0001

Ornamentation                                     

RCD 001446066-0009

Web design 

RCD 003465632-0001 

Maps

003567155-0001

Practical advantages

实用优势

lRCDs are governed by a single legal system, providing strong and uniform protection throughout the European Union.

欧盟外观设计受单一法律体系管辖，在整个欧盟范围内提供强大而统一的保护。

lAn RCD is easy to register. There is one application, one language of filing and one file to manage.

欧盟外观设计易于注册，只需提交1次申请、一种语言和一个文件。

lRCD registration offers the possibility to file multiple applications (i.e. to include several designs in one application, such as variations of the same design).

1件欧盟外观设计可包含多个设计（即在一个申请中包含多个外观设计，例如同一外观设计的变形）。

Financial advantages

费用优势

lThe fee for registering and publishing one design is €350 for five years' protection.

注册和公告一项设计的官费为 350 欧元，享有五年保护期。

lAn RCD saves you translation and administrative costs.

欧盟外观设计可为您节省翻译和管理成本。

lThe design system offers a 'bulk discount'. For a multiple application, the fees for registering the 2nd to the 10th design are subject to a 50% discount while, for the 11th design onwards, the fee is just 25% that of the basic fee per design.

官方提供“批量折扣”。对于多项申请，注册第 2 至第 10 个外观设计的费用可享受 50% 的折扣，而第 11 个外观设计以后的费用仅为每个设计基本费用的 25%。

You have just filed a design. What happens next? Is there anything you need to do?

如果您刚刚提交了一个外观设计。那么接下来会发生什么？需要做什么呢？

Once received at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), your application will be checked by our examiners. If you have filed your design online, the route to registration will be straightforward. Most online filings are registered within a couple of days.

All applications go through a formalities check. When an examiner detects a problem, it is communicated to you or your representative (if you have appointed one) for remedying. You are normally given two months to respond to the examiner's objection (or deficiency letter as we refer to it). If this period is not sufficient, you can request an extension. In general, EUIPO grants a first request for extension automatically. However, a second extension request is granted only if sufficiently and properly justified.

在欧盟知识产权局 (EUIPO) 收到您的申请后，我们的审查员将对设计进行审查。如果您已在线提交外观设计，注册途径将十分简单。大多数在线申请会在几天内注册。

所有申请都要经过格式审查。当审查员审查到问题时，会通知您或您的代理人（如果您已指定代理人）进行补正。您通常有两个月的时间来答复审查员的审查意见（或我们所称的deficiency letter）。如果这个期限不够，您可以申请延期。一般而言，欧盟知识产权局 (EUIPO)会自动批准第一个延期请求。但是，只有在有充分和适当的理由下，我们才会批准第二次延期请求。

EUIPO's substantive examination is limited to two issues:

欧盟知识产权局的实质审查仅限于两个问题：

Is your design a design? Does your design represent the appearance of the whole or part of a product? An examiner will issue a notification if they believe it does not. For example, a design representing a living plant would receive such a notification.

您的设计是否属于外观设计吗？您的设计是代表产品整体还是部分的外观？如果审查员认为不是外观设计，则会发出通知。例如，1件没有设计，只展示植物本身的申请就会收到这样的通知。

Does the design contain an element that goes against public policy and morality? The concepts of public policy and morality may vary from one country to another. But given the unitary character of an RCD, it is enough that a design be found contrary to public policy in at least part of the European Union for the design to be refused.

另外，您的外观设计是否包含违反公共政策和道德的元素？公共政策和道德的概念可能因一个国家而异。但鉴于欧盟外观设计的单一性，只要在欧盟的至少一部分地区发现一项该外观设计违反公共政策就足以驳回这个设计。

If an examiner deems your design to be in breach of either of these two rules, they will send a deficiency letter offering you the possibility of withdrawing or amending the representation of the design. You can also submit observations. If you decide to submit an amended representation of the design, this representation will be admissible on condition that the 'identity of the design' is retained. Obviously, you cannot submit a completely different design. You can only remove or disclaim insignificant features, i.e. those likely to go unnoticed by the informed user.

如果审查员认为您的外观设计违反了这两条规则中的任何一条，他们将发送一封审查意见，为您提供撤回或修改该外观设计的可能性。您也可以提交答复。如果您决定修改这个外观设计，则在保留设计本身的情况下，该答复则会被接受。当然，您不能提交完全不同的设计，只能删除或放弃无关紧要的部分，即那些可能不会被相关用户注意到的部分。

If you do not answer at all or do not solve the problem highlighted by the examiner, they will send a notification that the design is refused. This decision can also be appealed.

如果您根本没有回答或没有解决审查员提出的问题，他们将发送驳回该外观设计的通知。您也可以对这一决定提出上诉。

The Office will not, of its own motion, check whether your design is new or if it possesses individual character. Third parties can request that your design be declared invalid. The invalidity procedure can only be launched against a design once it has been registered and not during the registration process.

我们不会主动审查您的外观设计是否是新的或是否具有新颖性。但是第三方可以要求申请将您的外观设计无效。无效程序只能在外观设计注册后启动，而不能在注册过程中启动。

If no problem is detected or if you solve any issues arising, your design will be registered. It will also be published in the Community Designs Bulletin. If you have asked for your design to be deferred, only the design number, the filing date, the registration dates and the names of the applicant and representative will be published. The representation of the design itself will not be published.

如果没有检测到问题或者您已经做了补正，您的外观设计将被注册。它将发布在欧盟外观设计的公告中。如果您要求推迟您的外观设计，那我们只会公布该外观设计编号、申请日期、注册日期以及申请人和代理人的姓名。外观设计本身将不会被公布。

A registration certificate is issued online after the registered Community design has been published in full. You are invited to download the certificate from the day after publication. A paper copy of the certificate of registration will not be issued. However, uncertified or certified copies of the registration certificate may be requested.

已注册的欧盟外观设计被公告后，我们将在线颁发注册证书。您可以从公告后的第二天起下载证书。我们不会发出注册证明的纸质副本。但是，您可以要求官方发未经认证或已认证的注册证书副本。

Parties adversely affected by a final decision can file an appeal. If you wish to file an appeal, you can use our paper form. If you need to, you can also consult the explanatory notes. You can also do this online through your User Area.

收到驳回通知的申请人或代理人可以提出上诉。如果您想提出上诉，您可以使用我们的纸质表格。如果需要，您还可以查阅解释性说明。您也可以通过您的用户中心在线执行此操作。

A Community design registration lasts for five years but it can be renewed four times (giving a maximum total of 25 years of protection). Every five years you will be faced with the question: do I want to renew my design?

欧盟外观设计注册有效期为五年，但可以续展四次（最长保护期为 25 年）。每五年您都会面临一个问题：我要续展我的外观设计吗？

You have two options:

您有两个选择：

In a multiple application you may decide to renew some of the designs only.

当一件申请包含多个设计时，您可以决定仅续展部分设计。

Renew. If you want to stay protected, you can renew online.

续展。如果您想继续受到保护，可以在线续展。

The renewal fee per design, whether included in a multiple registration or not, is as follows:

每件设计的续展费，无论是否包含多个设计，如下：

After 5 years - €90

5 年后 - 90 欧元

After 10 years - €120

10 年后 - 120 欧元

After 15 years - €150

15 年后 - 150 欧元

After 20 years - €180

20 年后 - 180 欧元

Not to renew. If you decide not to renew your design in the EU, the rights associated with it will expire.

不续展。如果您决定不在欧盟续展您的外观设计，与之相关的权利也将到期。

It is your responsibility to make sure you observe the time limit for renewal. However, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) will generally inform you or your representative six months before expiry that your RCD is due for renewal. Any other person holding a right to your RCD, e.g. a licensee, will also be informed by the Office.

您有责任确保遵守续展时限。欧盟知识产权局 (EUIPO) 通常会在到期前六个月通知您或您的代理人您的欧盟外观设计需要到期续展。对您的设计拥有权利的任何人，例如被许可人，也将收到通知。

The renewal form should be submitted and the renewal fee must be paid within the six months preceding your RCD's expiry date. The form may be submitted right up until the last day of the month in which protection ends.

您应提交续展表格，并必须在您的外观设计到期日之前的六个月内支付续展费用。该表格可以在保护结束当月的最后一天前提交。

If you have failed to observe the time limit but still wish to renew your design, you can still do so for six months after the expiry date, but there is a 25% surcharge.

如果您未能遵守时限但仍希望续展您的外观设计，您仍然可以在到期日后的六个月内续展，但需要支付 25% 的额外费用。

Your RCD should be renewed online. Remember that you cannot make alterations to your design when renewing it.

您的欧盟外观设计应该在线续展。请记住，您不能在续展设计时对其进行更改。