You can view the Expert Analysis Chapter by Ewan here: The EU Design Law Reform: Modernisation for the Digital Age

This comprehensive chapter examines the most significant modernisation of European design law since 2002, analysing the new Union Design Regulation 2024/2822 and Design Directive 2024/2823. Key topics covered include:

• Expanded protection for digital designs, animations and virtual products
• The new repair clause and its impact on the spare parts market
• Enhanced enforcement provisions addressing 3D printing and AI-generated designs
• Procedural innovations including EUIPO as a central point of contact
• The relationship between design rights, copyright, trademarks and patents
• New limitations and the right of prior use across Member States

You can also read the dedicated UK country analysis by Ewan and Louise Sargeant here: Designs Laws and Regulations United Kingdom 2026

This chapter provides a comprehensive Q&A guide to UK design law, covering everything from registration procedures and costs through to enforcement strategies and recent case law developments. Notable highlights include analysis of the Safestand v Weston Homes case on modular designs, discussion of the UK government's significant 90-page consultation on design law reform, and practical guidance on navigating the UK's registered and unregistered design rights framework.

These articles were first published in ICLG – Designs.