We have just published (for ECTA members only) the ECTA Design Committee Working Paper on the future of design protection of iterations. If you are a member, you can find it in the private site/Library/Project reports.

The fact that a design of a product is very popular with consumers and certain design features are, therefore, at least one essential reason for its economic success, may lead to successor products only being further developed within certain design limits and only being partially revised.

This useful Working Paper outlines challenges, case law examples and suggestions for an effective design filing strategy.

We thank the Design Committee Leaders and team members, including Beatrix Breitinger, Dr. Ralf Hackbarth, Moritz Koerner, Barnabás Mező, and Dr. Ekkehard Stolz, who brought this project to fruition.