The Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

• The Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) accepts Hague applications filed either directly with the International Bureau of WIPO or indirectly through the EAPO.

Applicants are advised to check the requirements of the national legislation of their country of origin, as restrictions on filing applications abroad may apply.

• Where an international application is filed through the EAPO, it will be transmitted to the International Bureau of WIPO within six months for formal examination. If the International Bureau identifies any irregularities, the applicant will have three months to remedy them.

• Applicants may designate one or more Contracting Parties to the Hague System, including countries and intergovernmental organizations, in which they wish to obtain industrial design protection.

• The International Bureau of WIPO publishes the international application.

• Where the Eurasian Patent Organization is designated, the Eurasian Patent Office conducts substantive examination within 12 months.

• All official communications with the EAPO concerning Hague applications are conducted in English.

• The individual designation fee is payable in two parts (the first part is payable to the International Bureau of WIPO upon filing the international application; the second part is payable to either the International Bureau of WIPO or the EAPO following completion of substantive examination).

The international registration takes effect subject to payment of the second part of the individual designation fee. The second part must be paid within four months from the date on which the EAPO sends the International Bureau of WIPO a notification that it is ready to grant protection to the industrial design.

• IP rights are managed centrally through the International Bureau of WIPO.

The recording of a change in ownership of an international industrial design registration in the International Register will not have effect until the Eurasian Patent Office receives the relevant documents confirming the transfer of the exclusive right to the industrial design.

What Additional Benefits Are Available to Applicants?

• Applicants benefit from an additional channel for filing international applications under the Hague System.

• Applicants can seek industrial design protection either in individual EAPO Member States or across the entire region.

• The Eurasian system offers a flexible approach, with simplified and applicant-friendly filing requirements (a single application may cover up to 100 industrial designs. Furthermore, designs included in the same application are not examined for compliance with the so-called unity of design requirement, meaning that applicants are not required to demonstrate that the designs share a single creative concept).

• The Hague System also provides a route to obtaining industrial design protection in Kazakhstan, even though the country is not currently a Contracting Party to the Hague System. At the same time, Kazakh nationals can also benefit from the opportunities offered by the Hague System.

Source：Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) News；2026-10-10；https://www.eapo.org/en/eapv-news-en/eapo-starts-processing-hague-applications-useful-information/