INDUSTRIAL MODELS & DESIGNS
AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN (It is granted for a 15 – year period)
Industrial model or design is the forms or the aspect incorporated or applied into an industrial product which confers to it an ornamental characteristic.
In order to be protected by the national legislation, an industrial drawing or model must be non-functional. This means that the characteristic of the industrial model or design is basically aesthetic and the legislation does not protect any of the technical features of the article in which it is applied.
WHY SHOULD INDUSTRIAL MODELS AND DESIGNS BE PROTECTED?
The industrial models and designs make a product attractive and attracting; consequently, they increase the commercial value of the product, and its marketability as well.
When an industrial model or design is protected, its owner – the person or entity who has registered its drawing or model- has the exclusive right against any non-authorized copy or the imitation of the industrial model or design from third parties. This allows its owner to regain their investment. The protection of industrial models or designs contributes to the economic development, fostering the creativity not only in the industrial and manufacturing sectors, but also in areas such as the arts and the traditional art crafts. This registering helps also to the expansion of commercial activities and to the exportation of national products.
The industrial models and designs can be relatively simple and their elaboration and protection can also have a lower rate. They are reasonably cheap for small and medium size companies, for artists and individual art craftsmen, as well.
