Hague turns 100 - a century of designs

November 6, 2025 — the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) today commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Hague System, its international design registration mechanism, celebrating a century of innovation, creativity, and global collaboration in design protection.

Established in The Hague in 1925 - the height of the Art Deco period - the system has grown from 11 founding members to 82 members covering 99 countries, streamlining the process for designers to protect their creations internationally. Over 2 million designs have been registered through the Hague System, including 27,161 in 2024, marking a nearly 7% increase from the previous year.

From fashion and furniture to mobile phones and green-tech equipment, the Hague System has supported the evolution of design across industries and borders. According to WIPO’s World Intangible Investment Highlights 2025, design investment in the U.S., U.K., and 22 EU economies reached US$685 billion in 2024—nearly 10% of total intangible investment, with countries like France and Germany reaching up to 17%.

WIPO Director General Daren Tang took the opportunity to emphasize the enduring human instinct to blend function with beauty, noting the importance of raising awareness about design rights, which are often less known than other forms of intellectual property, such as patents and trade marks.

To commemorate the occasion, WIPO have created a document which features data, infographics and 100 remarkable designs registered under the Hague System. Many of these designs are instantly recognizable, such as the Lacoste polo shirt (1966), the Sony Playstation (1994), the KITKAT bar (2008), PLAYMOBIL's toy figurines (1974) and even the World Cup Trophy (1971).

About the Hague System

The Hague Agreement simplifies international protection for industrial designs, allowing creators to register designs in multiple countries through a single application, in one language and with one set of fees. Post-registration, the system enables central management of administrative tasks, such as ownership changes and renewals.

In more detail, a Hague design application can be filed centrally with the International Bureau, which carries out formality checks and informs the applicant of any issues. At this stage, no examination of novelty is conducted. Once the application has been recorded on the International Register, it is published (unless the applicant has requested deferred publication), usually 12 months after the international registration date (the date on which WIPO received the application).

Following publication, the IP office of each Hague member state that has been designated will check whether the design complies with their own domestic laws. Each designated state has the right to refuse protection within its own territory, and if this is the case, the applicant is notified by WIPO. Refusal in one member state doesn't affect the application in other member states.

Not all Hague member states operate an examination system in which a design is checked to see if it is novel, for example. Those that do include China, Japan, Canada and the US, while the EU and the UK do not.

Assuming that the application complies with the specific requirements of the designated states, the initial period of protection under the Hague System is five years. All member states then offer the opportunity to renew the design twice, guaranteeing at least 15 years of protection, and in some cases up to 25 years.

As design continues to shape our daily lives and global markets, the Hague System remains a vital tool for businesses and creators worldwide. To ensure that your initial Hague application stands the best chance of successful registration in all designated member states, get in touch with our dedicated team of design specialists, who can provide you with all the advice you need.