With the 1 July 2026 Phase II start date approaching, EUIPO has issued transitional guidance on the EU design reform package, giving applicants a clearer route through the changeover in terminology, filing practice and procedural handling. The former registered Community design, commonly known as the RCD, will formally move into the new name and framework of the registered EU design, or REUD.The most practical change is the removal of the Locarno class restriction for multiple design applications. Under the old approach, designs included in the same multiple application generally had to...

The UK Intellectual Property Office published its new guidance, How to spot fake fashion when shopping second-hand, on 27 May 2026 and followed it with a press release on 28 May as the resale fashion market continues to expand. Developed with support from Vinted, the guidance gives shoppers a more practical checklist for spotting suspicious pricing, seller behaviour, listing photos, verification services and payment methods. The IPO also said that one in four UK second-hand clothing buyers unknowingly bought a counterfeit online in the last year, while one in three do not check authenticity...

Discussion around deferred publication of UK designs has moved faster than the official text. The headline figure catching everyone’s attention is 30 months. Yet the verified position is narrower: the current UK regime still allows deferment for up to 12 months, and the 2025 government consultation compared 12, 18 and 30-month models while signalling a preference for 18 months rather than an already launched 30-month pilot.Another point is no longer hypothetical. Since 1 April 2026, the DF2C fee to register a previously deferred design has been set at £50. For fast fashion and consumer...