In more detail

With the 15^th edition of the Locarno Classification entering into force on 1 January 2025, on 10 December 2024 the registrar issued the Designs Practice Direction No. 3 of 2024 on Classification under Rule 26 of the Registered Designs Rules. This practice direction will likewise take effect from 1 January 2025. 

Following this practice direction, for the purposes of registration of a design, each article, non-physical product, or set of articles and non-physical products to which the design is intended to be applied, is to be classified in accordance with the classification set out in the 15^th Edition of the Locarno Classification. This is with the exception of Class 32, which covers graphic symbols and logos, surface patterns, ornamentation, and arrangement of interiors and exteriors.

This practice direction can be viewed on the IPOS website: practice-direction-no-3-of-2024.pdf

The Locarno Classification

The Locarno Classification is an international classification used for the registration of industrial designs and it was established by the Locarno Agreement (1968), to which Singapore is a contracting country.

Apart from the competent offices of the contracting countries to the Locarno Agreement, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the International Bureau of WIPO also use the Locarno Classification in their registers and in the publications they issue.

The Locarno Classification is revised from time to time by the Committee of Experts, as set up by the Locarno Agreement in which each contracting country is represented.

The International Bureau of WIPO will apply the 15^th Edition of the Locarno Classification to all international applications with a filing date on or after 1 January 2025.

In conformity with its previous practice, the International Bureau of WIPO will not reclassify the products classified according to a previous edition of the Locarno Classification if they were filed before 1 January 2025.

The 15^th Edition of the Locarno Classification is available on the WIPO website: http://www.wipo.int/classifications/locarno/en/.

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For further information and to discuss what this development might mean for you, please get in touch with your usual Baker McKenzie contact.

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