August 20, 2025

The Riyadh Design Law Treaty: A New International Framework for Protecting Designs

Key Points

The Riyadh Design Law Treaty outlines new international standards for design protection, enhancing global cooperation.
Adopted in November 2024, the treaty establishes standards for design applications, including filing dates and grace periods.
This international agreement is modeled similarly to other treaties, including the Patent Law Treaty, aiding harmonization.
The treaty is pending ratification by WIPO member states, highlighting its need for further adoption and implementation.

Abstract

Abstract The Riyadh Design Law Treaty (RDLT) was adopted at the end of November 2024. After 20 years of preparation, the international community agreed on a text at a diplomatic conference in Riyadh, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Alongside the Patent Law Treaty, the Trademark Law Treaty and the Singapore Treaty, design law now has its own comprehensive international agreement, setting standards for simplifying and streamlining design protection procedures internationally. This includes standards relating to the maximum requirements for design applications and for the granting of the filing date, a novelty grace period and relief measures. The RDLT is not yet in force as it still needs to be signed and ratified by WIPO member states. This conference report provides an overview of the preparatory work leading up to the diplomatic conference and the main features of the RDLT, as well as considerations for design practice.

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