The economic review of industrial designs in Europe.

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The study shall provide the Commission with information on the general characteristics of design-intensive industries in Europe. It will analyse what type of intellectual property rights are being used to protect designs by different design-intensive industries, depending on their size, turnover and type of production. The study will also analyse reasons for, and the economic rationale behind, why some IPRs are used more often than others, taking into account their characteristics.Subsequently, the study will scrutinise the industrial design protection, both at national and EU level. The study will examine how many designs are registered at national and at EU levels, the trends observed in this respect in recent years, the type of products for which protection is sought, how designers protect their designs outside the EU, and the third countries registering their designs in Europe. Protection granted by unregistered Community designs should also be taken into account assessing the functioning of the design system in Europe.Additionally, the study will touch upon the economic consequences of non-harmonisation of spare parts protection in Europe.Finally, the study will make recommendations concerning the future of design protection in Europe, both at national and EU level.