EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, pursuant to section 13(1) of the Registered Designs Act 1949 (c.88), declares the countries specified in the Schedule to be convention countries for the purposes of all the provisions of the Registered Designs Act 1949. In this Order the term “country” includes colonies, protectorates and territories by reason of section 13(3) of that Act.

The majority of the countries specified in the Order have acceded to the International Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (“the Paris Convention”) (as revised at Stockholm in 1967) (Cmnd 4431) or the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation (including the Agreement on Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) (Cm 3044-6, 3080, 3263-4, 3268-9, 3271, 3275-7 and 3282).

This Order revokes the Designs (Convention Countries) Order 2006 (SI 2006/317) (the 2006 Order). This Order provides a consolidated list of countries that are convention countries for the purposes of all the provisions of the Registered Designs Act 1949 and the only substantive change from the 2006 Order is the addition of Yemen to the Schedule. Following Montenegro’s Declaration of Independence from Serbia adopted by the National Assembly of Montenegro on 3rd June 2006, Serbia and Montenegro are dealt with separately in this Order.