TITLE IIU.K.THE LAW RELATING TO DESIGNS

Section 1U.K.Requirements for protection

[F1Article 7U.K.Disclosure

1.Subject to paragraph 4, for the purposes of applying Articles 5 and 6, a supplementary unregistered design shall be deemed to have been made available to the public where paragraph 2 or 3 applies.

2.This paragraph applies where before IP completion day, the design was published or exhibited, used in trade or otherwise disclosed except where those events could not have become known in the normal course of business to the circles specialised in the sector operating within the European Union.

3.This paragraph applies where on or after IP completion day but before the date mentioned in Articles 5(1)(a) or 6(1)(a), the design was published or exhibited, used in trade or otherwise disclosed except where those events could not have become known in the normal course of business to the circles specialised in the sector operating within the United Kingdom, a qualifying country or a qualifying territory.

4.A design shall not, however, be deemed to have been made available to the public for the sole reason that it has been disclosed to a third person under explicit or implicit conditions of confidentiality.

5.For the purposes of this Regulation, a “qualifying country” is a country designated as such, and a “qualifying territory” is a territory designated as such, in Regulations made by the Secretary of State.

6.Regulations under paragraph 5 are to be made by statutory instrument and are subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House.]