IP Australia is seeking public feedback on possible designs law changes by 20 December 2019.
A previous review of the Australian designs system by the former Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP) recommended changes to the designs system to enhance its effectiveness. The 2015 report is available here and the Australian Government’s response to that report is available here.
IP Australia is now seeking feedback on policy issues that are relevant to the implementation of the ACIP’s recommendations. The discussion documents here cover three general areas:
- the scope of design protection – including partial designs, virtual or active designs, and assessing distinctiveness
- providing flexibility – including grace periods, delaying publication, and the option of requesting publication instead of registration
- clarifying aspects of the design system.
We encourage clients and anyone with an interest in the Australian designs system to make a submission before IP Australia’s close of business on 20 December 2019. You can make a submission using the online survey, by sending an email to consultation@ipaustralia.gov.au, or by phoning Brett Massey at IP Australia on +61 2 6285 0721.
