A new era for EU design registrations: first video and 3D designs published

The European design system has entered a new phase. Following the implementation of the final stage of the EU design reform on 1 July 2026, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has now published the first EU design registrations represented using video and 3D files.

The change reflects the reality that many modern products are no longer static or even physical. Digital interfaces, animations and interactive designs have become an increasingly important part of product development, and the legal framework is now being adapted to reflect these developments.

Modernised design protection

One of the key objectives of the reform was to modernise European design law and make it more suitable for today's digital economy. The legislation now makes it clear that a "product" can also exist in a non-physical form, ensuring that digital creations can benefit from design protection.

In addition, the definition of a design has been broadened to expressly include movement, transitions and other animated features. To support these types of designs, applicants can now submit video files as part of an EU design application.

The first video-represented EU design

The first EU design represented by a video file was registered by German company Lessmore GmbH. The registration protects an animated graphical user interface (GUI) for a mobile phone game and demonstrates how movement itself can form an integral part of a protected design.

For designs where animation plays a significant role in the user's experience, a video file may provide a much more accurate representation than a series of static images.

It will be interesting to see how scope of protection is assessed if and when such designs are enforced – for some designs, particularly GUI’s for games, it may be challenging to represent the range of possible appearances without unduly limiting the scope of protection.

The first 3D-represented EU design

The first EU design represented in 3D belongs to Arranged BV in Belgium and protects a dice tray incorporating a mobile phone holder.

Unlike traditional representations, a 3D file allows the product to be viewed from multiple angles, providing a more complete picture of its overall appearance. This may be particularly useful for products with complex shapes or features that are difficult to capture in a limited number of static views.

The inclusion of disclaimers may be more difficult in 3D design images, and so we expect some developments in how 3D models are presented as more applicants make use of this form of design representation.

Strong interest from applicants

The new representation formats appear to have been welcomed by users. During the first half of July 2026 alone, the EUIPO received 37 design applications using video representations and 20 using 3D representations.

While traditional static images remain the most commonly used format, these figures suggest that designers are already taking advantage of the greater flexibility offered by the new system.

The practical implications for businesses

The introduction of video and 3D representations gives designers and businesses additional tools to present their creations in a manner that more closely reflects how they are experienced in practice. This may be particularly valuable for digital products, animated interfaces and innovative product designs where movement or a three-dimensional perspective forms an important part of the design.

If you would like to learn more about EU design protection or discuss the most appropriate filing strategy for your design, please reach out to your usual Abel + Imray contact or by emailing bd@abelimray.com

*The illustrations referred to in this article are taken from the EUIPO online register.