Public Consultations for Industrial Design Office Practice Manual Now Open

On May 30, 2018, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) began its public consultations on a new Industrial Design Office Practice Manual (IDOP). The IDOP is the primary public source for information on how to file and prosecute an application for industrial design registration in Canada. Public consultations on the proposed IDOP will run for 30 days until June 29, 2018.

The Proposed IDOP sets out how CIPO intends to implement the regulatory and legislative changes necessary for Canada to comply with the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (the Hague Agreement). The Hague Agreement provides for an international system for filing and managing industrial design applications in multiple countries using a single, streamlined process.  The Proposed IDOP also sets out the examination standards that will be used by CIPO to examine Canadian industrial design applications under the forthcoming amendments to the Industrial Design Act and Rules (previously summarized in E-TIPS).

The new IDOP has been developed in close collaboration with numerous stakeholders. Feedback received to date has informed a number of revisions to the IDOP, which are reflected in the draft posted for public consultation. CIPO invites individuals to read the IDOP, ask questions and provide their feedback.

Summary By: Jae Morris