How to Internationally Protect Your Designs through the Hague System (INT-HDs)

1. Overview:

As the Hague System celebrates its 100th anniversary in November 2025, the International IP SME Helpdesks invite EU SMEs and business support organisations to join a practical webinar exploring how to protect industrial designs internationally.

The session will explore how the Hague System can simplify the process of securing design protection in multiple markets through a single international application. In an interactive panel format, IP experts from China, South-East Asia, Latin America, and Africa IP SME Helpdesks will share key insights on how the system works in practice, the advantages and challenges of using it, and what SMEs should consider when expanding to these regions.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of:

• What can be protected through design rights and why they matter for SMEs;
• How to use the Hague System efficiently;
• Country-specific considerations when designating markets such as China, or in South-East Asia, Latin America or Africa;
• Practical tips to avoid refusals and ensure smooth registration across jurisdictions.

The webinar will also present the recently published Guide by the International IP SME Helpdesks: How to Internationally Protect Your Designs through the Hague System, designed to help EU SMEs navigate through this complex but valuable system.

2. Speakers:

• Helika Jurgenson, Project Manager, China IP SME Helpdesk
• Elliot Papageorgiou, External Expert, China IP SME Helpdesk
• Benoît Tardy, IP Business Advisor, South-East Asia IP SME Helpdesk
• Giovanna Girardi, IP Business Advisor, Latin America IP SME Helpdesk
• Andrea Iori, Project Manager, Africa IP SME Helpdesk