AIPLA Comments on the WIPO Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty

Arlington, VA. June 25, 2024 - The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) submitted comments to the USPTO in response to the USPTO’s March 27, 2024 Notice on the WIPO Diplomatic on the Design Law Treaty (“DLT”).   

AIPLA is encouraged by the USPTO’s focus on the DLT, which the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has been working on since 2006. In its comments to the USPTO, AIPLA noted that its members would support a harmonized grace period of 12 months.  However, AIPLA noted that adding disclosure requirements related to genetic resources, traditional knowledge, or traditional cultural expressions would not simplify the design application process but would instead increase complexity and costs, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Consistent with these comments, AIPLA provided some suggested edits to the draft Articles and Rules of the DLT.  

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