Requirements for registering a design
The author of a design has the right to its registration and the validity requirements are basically novelty and individual character. A design or model is new if no identical design or model has been disclosed before the date of submission of the application for registration. The designs or models are considered identical when their characteristics differ only in irrelevant details. A design or model has an individual character if the general impression it arouses in the informed user differs from the general impression aroused in that user by any design or model that was disclosed before the date of submission of the application for registration.
As regards the legal territory where the exclusive right is granted, it should be noted that the extension of the Model / Design depends on the type of registration made. So, for example:
Italian Design: protects throughout the territory of Italy
Community Design: protects all EU countries
International Design: 74 Contracting Parties covering 91 countries can be designated with a single request
Foreign Model / Design: in any country in the world.
The aesthetic aspects of a product must be placed in the right context in order to increase the possibilities of protection.
Multi-protection: thanks to careful examination, a design-model can be protected in combination with other tools such as Patent, Trademark, Copyright.