Proposals to Introduce new fees for registered designs

The consultation sets out proposals to reduce the cost of registering new designs where they are applied for in a new multiple design application. It is intend to offer customers a choice of paying the application fee and publication fee together (in which case the design will be registered and published as soon as practical) or of paying only the application fee and giving customers the option of paying the publication fee later but within the statutory maximum period of 12 months. Customers can thereby choose when, or if, their design proceeds to registration and only pay the outstanding publication fee at that stage.

The consultation is directed to all interested parties.