Industrial design rights

Industrial design rights protect the appearance of a product or part of a product, not its technical function. In Switzerland, protection generally depends on registration and requires a design that is new and has individual character. The right holder may prevent unauthorised commercial use, including making, offering, importing or selling products embodying the protected design. Design protection can overlap with copyright, trade mark law or unfair competition, but each regime has different requirements. Clearance searches and careful filing strategy are important because disclosure, variants and territorial coverage can affect protection.