Design rights

Design services, design rights and design life lengths in the UK

The Economics of Design Rights

Design is of key importance to the UK economy, with £33.5billion spent on design in 2008. This importance prompted the IPO to commission a set of research projects around design rights which has been produced in four chapters.

The first chapter looks at where design activity takes place in the UK, how it is purchased (bought externally or created internally) and how registered rights are used.

The second chapter looks at the impact registered design rights have on business performance, given a UK or EU design registration.

The third chapter is a survey looking at the reasons for the behaviour of firms when interacting (or not as the case may be) with the IP framework for design.

The fourth chapter is an international comparison of design systems in the UK, France and Germany.

Design council event, 21 Stepember 2011
Audio coverage of all presentations given during the days event are now available.

Commissioned by: IPO
Date published: September 2011

Author(s): Various - as stated below

  • Chapter 1 PDF document(2.21Mb) - Jonathan Haskel, Imperial College Business School and CEPR
                                         Annarosa Pesole, Imperial College Business School
  • Chapter 2 PDF document(626Kb) - Elif Bascavusoglu-Moreau and Bruce S. Tether,
                                         Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London
  • Chapter 3 PDF document(869Kb) - Dr James Moultrie, Finbarr Livesey
  • Chapter 4 PDF document(865Kb) - BOP Consulting
Intellectual Property Enforcement in Smaller UK firms

Intellectual Property Enforcement in Smaller UK firms

Research into the attitudes and practices of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro firms with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property, as well as the cost implications of the present IP enforcement system in the UK. Uses both an online survey and a phone survey, and information on Patents and Registered Design cases listed for hearings in the Patents Court from 2003 to 2009.

Commissioned by: SABIP
Date published: October 2010

Author(s): Christine Greenhalgh, Jeremy Phillips, Robert Pitkethly, Mark Rogers

Download PDF PDF document(558Kb)

SABIP Work Programme 2010-2011

SABIP Work Programme 2010-2011

The Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property Policy's work programme for 2010/11.

Date published: March 2010

Author(s): SABIP

Download PDF PDF document(1.85Mb)

Lord Justice Jackson: Annex 1 Copyright and Design Rights Survey

Submission to Lord Justice Jackson: Annex 1 Copyright and Design Rights Survey

Following a submission by the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property Policy (SABIP) to Lord Justice Jackson's Review of Civil Litigation Costs, SABIP commissioned three surveys to examine the evidence on a number of selected issues related to the IP enforcement system in the UK.

Date published: October 2009

Author(s): SABIP

Download PDF PDF document(226Kb)

Lord Justice Jackson, 30 October 2009

Submission to Lord Justice Jackson, 30 October 2009

Following a submission by the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property Policy (SABIP) to Lord Justice Jackson's Review of Civil Litigation Costs, SABIP commissioned three surveys to examine the evidence on a number of selected issues related to the IP enforcement system in the UK.

Date published: October 2009

Author(s): SABIP

Download PDF PDF document(210Kb)

UK Intellectual Property Awareness Survey 2010

UK Intellectual Property Awareness Survey 2010

This report presents findings from the second UK IP Awareness Survey, giving an accurate benchmark indication of the state of IP awareness in the UK across all sizes of firm and all sectors of industry.

Commissioned by: IPO
Date published: March 2011

Author(s): Dr. Robert Pitkethly (St. Peter's College & Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre Oxford University)

UK Intellectual Property Awareness Survey 2006

UK Intellectual Property Awareness Survey 2006

This preliminary report presents the initial findings from the first UK IP Awareness Survey, giving an accurate benchmark indication of the state of IP awareness in the UK across all sizes of firm and all sectors of industry.

Commissioned by: IPO
Date published: 2006

Author(s): Dr. Robert Pitkethly (Said Business School Oxford University & Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre St. Peter's College)

Download PDF PDF document(1.92Mb)