Modernization of the industrial design regime

2018-11-06

MODERNIZATIONOFTHEINDUSTRIALDESIGNREGIME

MARCGAGNON*
ROBIC,LLP
LAWYERS,PATENTANDTRADEMARKAGENTS

WithCanada’saccessiontotheHagueAgreementonNovember5,2018,notonlywerethe
IndustrialDesignAct(“Act”)andtheIndustrialDesignRegulations(“Regulations”)amendedto
allowthisaccession,butthegovernmentalsotooktheopportunitytomodernizetheindustrial
designregime.
Herewebrieflyreviewthemainchangesforanationalapplication,themainconditionsforaHague
applicationandsomeaspectsofthenewregimebyfinallynotingastrategicelementtoconsider.
Changesforanationalapplication
Itisnolongernecessaryforanapplicanttoprovideasmuchinformationasbeforewhenfilinga
designapplicationattheCanadianIntellectualPropertyOffice(“CIPO”).
Inordertoobtainafilingdate,theapplicantmustonlypaythegovernmentfeeandfilean
applicationatCIPOthatincludesthenameofthearticle,arepresentationofadesign,thename
oftheapplicantanditscontactinformation.Thefilingdateoftheapplicationisthedateonwhich
theMinisterreceivesallthisinformation.Itisthereforenolongermandatorytoprovideatitle,a
descriptionofthedrawingandadeclarationastothefirstownerofthedesign.
ThenewRegulationsneverthelessprovidethattheapplicationmustincludeatleastonegraphic
reproduction(drawing)oraphotographshowingthedesignaloneorthefinishedarticlealoneand
ofsufficientqualitytoclearlyandaccuratelyidentifythefeaturesofthedesign.
Whiletheapplicationswerenotpreviouslypublished,thenewActprovidesforpublicationonthe
earliestdateoftheregistrationdateandthedatethatfalls30monthsafterthefilingorprioritydate.
ThenewRegulationscodifythepossibilityofobtainingadelayedregistrationlimitedtoamaximum
of30monthsfromthefilingorprioritydate.
CIPOnowissuesaNoticeofRegistrationontheregistrationdateinsteadofaCertificateof
Registration.
ConditionsforaHagueapplication
WiththeHagueAgreement,aCanadianapplicantcanfileasingleapplicationattheInternational
BureauoftheWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganization(“WIPO”)bydesignatingseveral
jurisdictions,includingCanada.Inordertoobtainafilingdate,theapplicantmustpaythe
internationalfeesandtheCanadiandesignationfeeforeachdesign(product).Theapplication

©CIPS,2018.*MarcGagnonisalawyer,engineerandpatentagentforROBIC,LLP,afirmoflawyers,patentand
trademarkagents.

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mustnotablyincludethenameandaddressoftheapplicant,thenameoftheproductanda
reproductionoftheproduct.Aninternationalregistrationmaycoverupto100differentproductsin
thesameLocarnoclass.
ThefilingdateinCanada,theinternationalfilingdateandtheinternationalregistrationdatearethe
samedate,whichisthedateonwhichtheapplicationisregularlyfiledattheInternationalBureau.
ThepublicationdateisthatofthepublicationoftheinternationalregistrationintheInternational
Bulletin(aboutsixmonthsaftertheinternationalfilingdate).
OncetheinternationalregistrationispublishedbyWIPO,CIPOcanstartitssubstantive
examination.Iftheinternationalregistrationcoversseveralproducts,CIPOthendividesthis
registrationintoseveraldistinctHagueapplications.ThenewRegulationsprovidethatthecontent
oftheHagueapplicationisdeemedtobeconformedasregardstothequality,formand
presentationofthereproductionsandphotographs,thenameandaddressoftheapplicant,and
theoptionaldescription(descriptionofthedesign).
TheregistrationdateinCanadadoesnotcorrespondtotheinternationalregistrationdatesinceit
rathercorrespondstothedateoftheStatementoftheGrantofProtection,ifsuchastatementis
issuedbyCIPO,oratthedatewhichfalls12monthsandonedayafterthepublicationdate(about
18monthsaftertheinternationalfillingdate).
Someaspectsofthenewregime
Whilethedurationofadesignregistrationwas10yearsfromitsregistration,itisnowthelongest
of15yearsfromthefilingdateor10yearsfromtheregistrationdateinCanada.
ThenewRegulationsprovidethattherepresentationmustbesufficienttofullydisclosethedesign
takingintoaccountthenameofthearticleorproductandanystatement.Notethattheapplication
mayincludedrawingsandphotographswhereitwasnotpossiblebeforetoincludeboth.
ThenewRegulationsspecifythattheapplicationisdeemedtocoverallthevisualcharacteristics
ofthedesign(shape,configuration,patternanddecorativeelements).Thefeaturesshownin
dottedlinesarenotpartofthedesignanditisnowpossibletouseblurringorcolouringtoillustrate
featuresthatarenotpartofthedesign.
Whileadescriptionofthedesignisnolongermandatory,theapplicationmayneverthelessinclude
suchadescription.Whentheapplicationcomprisesadescriptionofthedesign,thecourtshave
recognizedthatitmustbereadinlightoftherepresentationtodeterminethevalidityand
infringementoftheregistereddesign.Theapplicationshouldthereforecompriseadescriptionto
betterdefinetheintendedprotectionbyidentifyingtheimportantanddistinctivevisualfeaturesof
thedesign.
Theoriginalityrequirementisreplacedbythatofnovelty.ThenewActprovidesthatadesignis
newifthesamedesign,oradesignnotdifferingsubstantiallyfromit,hasnotbeenpublicly
disclosedbytheapplicantmorethan12monthsbeforethefilingorprioritydate.The12-month
graceperiodforadisclosuremadebytheapplicantisthereforecodified.Theabsolutenovelty
requirementisalsocodifiedinthenewAct.Inordertoberegistrable,adesignmustnothavebeen
disclosedbyathirdpartybeforethefilingorprioritydate.Anapplicantmaynowseekprotection
forsimilardesignsifallapplicationsarefiledwithin12monthsofthefirstapplication.Itisthusno
longernecessarytorequestCIPOtoassociatethesedifferentapplicationsandthatalldesignsbe

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registeredonthesamedaytopreventapreviousdesignfrombeingcitedagainstasubsequent
design.
EvenifthisoptionmaybelessusefulforaHagueapplication,thenewRegulationscodifythe
possibilityofobtaininganadvancedexamination.
Whileitwaspossibletoobtaintwosix-monthextensionstorespondtoanExaminationReport,a
singlesix-monthextensionisnowavailable.
Anapplicantmaynowfileadivisionalapplicationthatisnotlimitedtothecontentofthefirst
applicationandmaycoveranyelementdisclosedbutnotclaimedinthefirstapplication,suchas,
forexample,anotherdesignshowninfullorinpartindottedlines.Unlessthefirstapplicationwas
subjecttorestriction,adivisionalapplicationmustbefiledwithintwoyearsoffilingofthefirst
application.
Electroniccommunicationsaredeemedtobereceivedatanytimeonthesameday,regardlessof
whetheritisaholidayoradaywhentheCIPOisclosed.
Proofoftransfer(e.g.assignment)isnolongerrequiredwhentherequestforregistrationortransfer
ismadebytheapplicant/owner.Proofofthetransferishoweverrequiredwhentherequestismade
bythenewapplicant/owner.
Strategicconsideration
BecausethenewActprovidesadefinitionofnoveltythatmirrorsthelanguageoftheexclusive
rightsetoutintheAct(samedesignoradesignnotdifferingsubstantiallyfromit),apersonwho
issuedforinfringementofapreviouslyregistereddesignshouldassertindefensehisown
subsequentregistrationcoveringhisproduct.Moreparticularly,thispersonmayarguethatthe
productcoveredbyhisregistereddesigncannotinfringethepreviousdesignsincehisdesignwas
foundbyCIPOtobenewoverthepriorart,includingthepreviousdesignthatwasnormally
consideredbyCIPO.Assuch,obtainingregistrationofadesignmayconfertheadditional
advantageofconstitutingadefensivestrategyagainstaneventualinfringementlawsuitbasedon
apreviousregistration.
Tofindoutmoreaboutthenewindustrialdesignsystemoranyquestionsregardingindustrial
designprotection,donothesitatetocontactoneofourteammembers.