- China acceded to the Hague Agreement (1999 Act) on 5 February 2022 and it took effect on 5 May 2022, giving foreign and Chinese applicants one filing route to protect an industrial design in China and dozens of other jurisdictions.
中国于 2022 年 2 月 5 日递交《海牙协定》（1999 年文本）加入书，2022 年 5 月 5 日生效，为中外申请人提供一条在包括中国在内的数十个法域保护工业品外观设计的单一申请通道。- A single Hague international application — one language, one set of fees — can designate China and many other members, replacing a patchwork of separate national filings.
一份海牙国际申请（一种语言、一套费用）即可指定中国与多个其他成员，取代零散的多国分别申请。- China’s design protection term is 15 years from the grant date, aligned with the 1999 Act minimum after the 2021 Patent Law amendment removed the old 10-year limit that had blocked accession.
中国外观设计保护期为授权之日起 15 年；2021 年专利法修改将原先 10 年上限延长至 15 年，消除了加入海牙协定的法律障碍。- Foreign applicants can file directly with WIPO’s International Bureau or indirectly through CNIPA in English; China is designated in the application and examined by CNIPA under Chinese patent law.
外国申请人可直接向世界知识产权组织国际局提交，也可通过国家知识产权局以英文转交；在申请中指定中国后，由国家知识产权局依中国专利法审查。- Later changes — ownership transfers, renewals, corrections — are managed centrally with WIPO, taking effect across all designated contracting parties, greatly simplifying portfolio management.
此后的权属变更、续展、更正等均可向 WIPO 集中办理，在所有指定缔约方一并生效，大幅简化组合管理。- Partial designs are now protectable in China, broadening what foreign brands can shield — from a product’s overall look down to a component’s ornamental shape.
中国现已保护局部外观设计，扩大了外国品牌可受保护的范围，从产品整体外观延伸至零部件的装饰性形状。- Hague is especially valuable for consumer, industrial and packaging designs that are rolled out across markets — furniture, electronics, vehicles, fashion, toys, bottles and containers.
海牙对跨市场推出的消费、工业及包装设计尤为有价值——家具、电子、汽车、时尚、玩具、瓶罐与容器等。
Protecting industrial designs in China via the Hague Agreement | 通过海牙协定在中国保护工业品外观设计
Overview
For a foreign brand launching a product in China, the visual design — the shape of a bottle, the contour of a chair, the interface of a device — is often as valuable as the technology underneath. Until recently, protecting that design in China meant a standalone Chinese filing. Since 5 May 2022, there is a second, often cheaper route: the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, to which China acceded as its 77th member.
This article explains how the Hague System works for China-bound designs, why China joined, what foreign applicants need to know about filing, examination, scope (including partial designs) and renewals, and where it fits alongside a direct CNIPA filing. It is general information, not legal advice.
What the Hague Agreement is
The Hague Agreement, administered by WIPO, establishes the Hague System for the international registration of industrial designs. Through one international application, an applicant can seek design protection in multiple contracting parties. It sits alongside the Madrid System for trademarks and the PCT for patents as one of the three pillars of the global industrial-property services framework.
China acceded to the 1999 Act of the Agreement. The instrument of accession was deposited on 5 February 2022 during the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the Agreement entered into force for China on 5 May 2022. At accession, China became the 77th member of the “Hague Union,” whose membership spans roughly 75 countries and two intergovernmental organisations (the EU and OAPI), covering about 94 states.
Why China joined — and what changed in domestic law
China’s ability to join turned on a single domestic-law change. Under the Patent Law in force before 1 June 2021, design protection lasted 10 years from the filing date. The 1999 Act of the Hague Agreement requires a minimum of 15 years. The 2021 amendment extended China’s design term to 15 years from the grant date, removing the incompatibility. With that obstacle gone, China completed its domestic ratification procedure in early 2022 and deposited the instrument of accession.
For foreign rights-holders, the practical effect is twofold:
- Inbound: a foreign company can now obtain Chinese design protection through a single Hague filing rather than a separate Chinese application.
- Outbound: Chinese companies gained a streamlined path to protect their designs abroad — but the focus here is the inbound route that matters to foreign-invested entrants.
How a foreign applicant uses Hague for China
There are two filing routes:
- Direct with WIPO. File the international application directly with WIPO’s International Bureau (in English, French or Spanish, one set of fees).
- Indirect via CNIPA. File through the China National Intellectual Property Administration in English; CNIPA forwards the application to WIPO. This is convenient for applicants already working with Chinese counsel.
Either way, the applicant designates China in the application. CNIPA then examines the designated China portion under Chinese patent law and the revised Implementing Regulations and Guidelines. Key practical points:
- Priority. If the applicant claims priority from an earlier application, and did not submit a copy of that earlier application with the international filing, the copy must be submitted to CNIPA within three months of the international publication; the same deadline applies to priority fees and, where the applicant name differs, supporting proof.
- Divisional applications. An applicant may file a divisional application with CNIPA within two months of the international publication.
- Fees. Hague fees are paid directly to WIPO, not to CNIPA.
Scope: what designs are protectable, including partial designs
Chinese design protection covers the ornamental (not functional) appearance of a product or a part of a product. A significant expansion — relevant to foreign filers — is that partial designs are now protectable: a component’s decorative shape can be claimed even where the whole product is not new. This matters for industries such as automotive (a distinctive grille or light cluster), consumer electronics (a phone’s corner curvature or iconography) and packaging (a bottle shoulder contour).
Exclusions remain: designs contrary to public order or morality, designs that depend on the look of a different design (dependent designs in the old sense), and purely functional shapes are not registrable. Novelty is assessed against prior art worldwide as of the filing/priority date.
Examination and grant in China
CNIPA examines the China-designated portion for formalities and substantive grounds (novelty, comply with scope). Unlike some jurisdictions, China conducts a substantive examination of designs. If granted, the protection term is 15 years from the grant date. The owner receives a Chinese design patent right enforceable against infringement in China, identical in effect to a design right obtained via a direct national filing.
Centralised management after registration
One of Hague’s biggest efficiencies appears after registration. Changes that would otherwise require amending every national registration — a change of owner, a renunciation, a limitation, or a renewal — are recorded once with WIPO’s International Bureau and take effect across all designated contracting parties (subject to any individual designated-party formalities). For a foreign group rolling out a design across China and multiple export markets, this centralised administration sharply reduces administrative overhead and the risk of missed renewal deadlines.
Hague vs a direct CNIPA filing
| Dimension | Hague international | Direct CNIPA national |
|---|---|---|
| Filing | One application, one language, one fee set | Chinese-language application to CNIPA |
| Coverage | China + many members at once | China only |
| Post-registration changes | Centralised at WIPO | Per-registration at CNIPA |
| Examination | CNIPA examines China portion | CNIPA examines |
| Best when | Multi-market launch, centralised portfolio | China-only or where local strategy differs |
Many foreign filers use both: Hague for the broad, multi-market baseline and direct national filings where they want market-specific claim scope or faster local grant.
Practical steps for foreign brands
- Decide the footprint. If you will sell the design in China and at least one other Hague member, Hague is usually cheaper and simpler for the baseline.
- Capture priority. If you first filed elsewhere, note the three-month copy/fee deadlines measured from international publication.
- Consider partial-design claims where a component’s look is the differentiator.
- Plan renewals centrally — record ownership and renewal at WIPO to keep the China right alive without separate CNIPA action.
- Pair with trademark and patent strategy — design, brand and function are distinct rights; protect each deliberately.
Sources
- 国家知识产权局 2022年5月例行新闻发布会（海牙协定生效实施准备）：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/col/col2920/index.html
- 中国实现对国际规则的承诺（知识产权报，海牙协定与马拉喀什条约2022-05-05在华生效）：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2022/2/23/art_55_173353.html
- 国家知识产权局公告 第四八一號《关于加入海牙协定后相关业务处理暂行办法》（2022-05-05 施行），中国政府网：https://big5.www.gov.cn/gate/big5/www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2022-06/07/content_5694459.htm
- WIPO — Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs：https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/hague/
Related reading
- 中国外观设计专利 15 年保护期 / China’s 15-year design term
- 商标国际注册马德里体系 / Madrid System for trademarks
- 外国品牌在华 IP 布局 / IP strategy for foreign brands in China
通过海牙协定在中国保护工业品外观设计
概述
对进入中国市场的外国品牌而言，视觉设计——瓶身造型、座椅轮廓、设备界面——往往与技术本身同样值钱。过去在中国保护这种设计需单独提交中国申请。自 2022 年 5 月 5 日起，出现了第二条、往往更省钱的路径：中国作为第 77 个成员加入的《工业品外观设计国际注册海牙协定》。
本文说明海牙体系如何服务于面向中国的设计、中国为何加入、外国申请人须了解的提交与审查、保护范围（含局部外观设计）与续展，以及它与直接向国家知识产权局申请的异同。本文为一般性信息，非法律意见。
海牙协定是什么
海牙协定由世界知识产权组织（WIPO）管理，确立工业品外观设计国际注册的海牙体系。通过一份国际申请，申请人可在多个缔约方寻求外观设计保护。它与商标马德里体系、专利 PCT 共同构成全球工业产权服务框架的三大支柱。
中国加入的是该协定的 1999 年文本。加入书于 2022 年 2 月 5 日（北京冬奥会期间）递交，2022 年 5 月 5 日对中国生效。加入时，中国成为”海牙联盟”第 77 个成员，联盟约含 75 个国家与两个政府间组织（欧盟、OAPI），覆盖约 94 个法域。
中国为何加入——国内法的改变
中国能否加入取决于一项国内法修改。在 2021 年 6 月 1 日前施行的专利法中，外观设计保护期为自申请日起 10 年。海牙协定 1999 年文本要求最低 15 年。2021 年修法将中国外观设计保护期延长至授权之日起 15 年，消除了不兼容。障碍消除后，中国于 2022 年初完成国内批准程序并递交加入书。
对外国权利人，实际效果有二：
- 引进来： 外国公司现可通过一份海牙申请获得中国外观设计保护，不必再单独提交中国申请。
- 走出去： 中国企业获得便捷的海外设计保护路径——但本文聚焦对外资进入者更重要的”引进来”路径。
外国申请人如何经海牙进入中国
有两条提交路径：
- 直接向 WIPO 提交。 向世界知识产权组织国际局直接提交国际申请（英文、法文或西班牙文，一套费用）。
- 经国家知识产权局间接提交。 以英文通过国家知识产权局提交，由其转送 WIPO。对已有中国代理的申请人尤为便利。
无论哪种，申请人均在申请中指定中国。随后国家知识产权局依中国专利法及修订后的实施细则、审查指南审查被指定中国的部分。关键实务要点：
- 优先权。 如主张在先申请优先权且未随国际申请提交在先申请副本，须自国际公布之日起三个月内向国家知识产权局提交副本；优先权费及申请人名称不一致时的证明亦同此期限。
- 分案申请。 申请人可自国际公布之日起两个月内向国家知识产权局提出分案申请。
- 费用。 海牙规费直接缴至 WIPO，而非国家知识产权局。
保护范围：可保护设计，含局部外观设计
中国外观设计保护产品或其部分的装饰性（非功能性）外观。对外国申请人意义重大的一项扩展是现已保护局部外观设计：即使整体产品不具新颖性，也可就零部件的装饰性形状提出申请。这对汽车（独特格栅或灯组）、消费电子（手机边角曲率或图标）和包装（瓶肩轮廓）等行业尤为关键。
排除情形仍然存在：违背公共秩序或善良风俗的设计、依赖另一设计外观的设计（旧法意义上的依赖设计）以及纯功能性形状不可注册。新颖性以申请日/优先权日时全球范围内的现有设计为准判断。
在中国的审查与授权
国家知识产权局就被指定中国的部分进行形式与实质审查（新颖性、范围合规）。与部分法域不同，中国对外观设计进行实质审查。若授权，保护期为授权之日起 15 年。权利人取得的中国外观设计专利权可在中国针对侵权主张，效力等同于直接国内申请取得的权利。
注册后的集中管理
海牙最大的效率提升出现在注册之后。本需逐一修改各国注册的变动——权利人变更、放弃、减项或续展——只需在 WIPO 国际局集中记录，即在所有指定缔约方生效（视各指定方个别手续而定）。对在中国与多个出口市场同步推出设计的外国集团而言，这种集中管理大幅降低行政负担与错过续展期限的风险。
海牙 vs 直接向国家知识产权局申请
| 维度 | 海牙国际申请 | 直接国家申请 |
|---|---|---|
| 提交 | 一份申请、一种语言、一套费用 | 中文申请递交国家知识产权局 |
| 覆盖 | 中国 + 多个成员一次性 | 仅中国 |
| 注册后变更 | WIPO 集中办理 | 在国家知识产权局逐件办理 |
| 审查 | 国家知识产权局审查中国部分 | 国家知识产权局审查 |
| 适用情形 | 多市场推出、组合集中管理 | 仅中国，或需本地差异化策略 |
许多外国申请人两者并用：以海牙建立宽泛的多市场基线，在需要本地差异化权利要求或更快本地授权时另提直接国家申请。
外国品牌实操步骤
- 确定覆盖版图。 若设计将在中国及至少一个其他海牙成员销售，海牙通常对基线更省更简。
- 抓住优先权。 若先在其他地方申请，注意自国际公布起算的三个月副本/费用期限。
- 考虑局部外观设计权利要求，当零部件外观为差异化要点时。
- 集中规划续展——在 WIPO 记录权属与续展，无需单独国家知识产权局动作即可维持中国权利。
- 与商标、专利策略配合——设计、品牌与功能是不同的权利，须分别刻意保护。
Sources
- 国家知识产权局 2022年5月例行新闻发布会（海牙协定生效实施准备）：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/col/col2920/index.html
- 中国实现对国际规则的承诺（知识产权报，海牙协定与马拉喀什条约2022-05-05在华生效）：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2022/2/23/art_55_173353.html
- 国家知识产权局公告 第四八一號《关于加入海牙协定后相关业务处理暂行办法》（2022-05-05 施行），中国政府网：https://big5.www.gov.cn/gate/big5/www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2022-06/07/content_5694459.htm
- WIPO — Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs：https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/hague/
相关阅读
- 中国外观设计专利 15 年保护期 / China’s 15-year design term
- 商标国际注册马德里体系 / Madrid System for trademarks
- 外国品牌在华 IP 布局 / IP strategy for foreign brands in China