The Riyadh Design Law Treaty is taking off

The Riyadh Design Law Treaty was adopted by Diplomatic Conference in November 2024. Its objective is to harmonise and simplify the procedural requirements for obtaining design protection around the world, which is much needed.

The Treaty seeks to streamline procedures and facilitate protection by establishing common rules on matters such as application formalities, filing date requirements, grace periods, deferment and remedies for missed deadlines. It also promotes the use of electronic filing systems.

For designers and design-led companies, the benefits are clear. A more harmonised procedural landscape means fewer local quirks to navigate, reduced administrative costs and greater confidence when seeking protection in multiple jurisdictions. For businesses that increasingly launch products simultaneously in several markets, the value of procedural consistency cannot be underestimated.

The Treaty will enter into force three months after 15 ratifications or accessions have been secured.

The Treaty is still in its early stages. Albania became the first country to ratify it in March 2026. El Salvador ratified on 7 July 2026 and, most recently, Saudi Arabia deposited its instrument of ratification on 8 July 2026. Georgia acceded on the same day. The other 25 signatories are expected to ratify in the near future, including the United Kingdom, and other countries such as Mozambique are reportedly looking to accede soon. The Treaty will enter into force three months after 15 ratifications or accessions have been secured. 

Continued expansion of the Hague System

While the Riyadh Design Law Treaty focuses on procedural harmonisation, the Hague System provides a practical mechanism for obtaining international design protection through a single application administered by WIPO. Rather than filing separate applications country by country, applicants can seek protection across multiple jurisdictions through one filing, in one language and by paying one set of fees. 

The Hague System, which celebrated 100 years in 2025, continues to expand. On the same day it ratified the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, 7 July 2026, El Salvador also deposited its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement, extending the geographic reach of the system to 100 countries. From 7 October 2026, both local and foreign businesses will be able to use the Hague route to secure design protection in El Salvador.

The Hague System, which celebrated 100 years in 2025, continues to expand.

Only a week later, Lao PDR also joined the Hague System and can be designated from 14 October 2026. 

Perhaps the most significant development, however, is the accession of the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO). Once effective on 10 October 2026, applicants will be able to designate EAPO through a Hague filing and obtain protection across eight Eurasian states, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. 

This mirrors the benefits already available through the European Union and the African Intellectual Property Organization, the other two regional intergovernmental organisations that can be designated through the Hague System, and further strengthens the System as a genuinely global filing route. 

Further accessions are expected, with Mozambique’s council of Ministers having already approved accession in March 2026. Asian, Middle Eastern and other African nations are most likely candidates for the near future. 

A positive direction of travel

Taken together, these developments point to a broader trend: increasing international cooperation in design protection.

The Hague System continues to expand its geographic reach, making international protection more accessible and cost-effective. At the same time, the Riyadh Design Law Treaty promises to simplify and align national filing procedures, reducing friction for applicants operating internationally. 

For designers and design-focused businesses, this is good news. As products, brands and markets become ever more global, obtaining and managing design protection internationally is becoming not only more important, but also considerably easier. And if the developments of the past year are any indication, the international design law landscape is likely to remain one of the most dynamic areas of intellectual property in the years ahead.