The World Intellectual Property Organization today (November, 6) marked the 100th anniversary of its international design system, celebrating a century of iconic designs that combine utility and beauty.
From artisanal crafts and high fashion to household appliances and furniture, designers from around the world elevate daily items into beloved products with a distinctive look and feel that catch our eye and delight our senses.
Named for the city where it was established by treaty in 1925, WIPO’s Hague System uses a single procedure to cut costs and complexity for designers as they protect their work in up to 99 countries. More than 2 million design registrations have already been lodged via the Hague System – including 27,161 in 2024 alone, a nearly 7% year on year increase - from the first filing for ladies’ hats to today’s mobile phones and green-tech equipment.
According to WIPO’s World Intangible Investment Highlights 2025, investment in design across the United States, the United Kingdom and 22 European Union economies amounted to over US$ 685 billion in 2024, making up close to 10% of total investment in intangible assets that year. In some EU economies, such as France and Germany, investment in design represents an even larger share, reaching up to 17% of total intangible investment.
While use of the Hague System has grown more diverse over the years, more work is needed to ensure its evolution in spreading the benefits of design protection, and intellectual property (IP) use, more widely, said WIPO Director General Daren Tang.
“Combining what works with what is beautiful has been a fundamental human instinct since time immemorial. Our ancestors decorated everyday objects to make them more pleasing to the eye, and this has continued till today in the form of modern industrial, artisanal and digital design. As we celebrate 100 years of the Hague system that has given millions of designers IP protection, we need to ensure that we continue supporting those who bring beauty to the things that we use. In particular, design rights are not as well known as other IP rights, so we will work hard with our partners to raise awareness and usage of this important but undervalued aspect of IP protection.”
Mr. Tang welcomed participants to a celebratory symposium in the Hague, organized by WIPO with the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands and the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP).
Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans of the Netherlands stated: “Design protection is relatively unknown to the general public, yet very important in practice for innovative enterprises. The Hague System enables design registration in up to 99 countries worldwide, thus facilitating international business. It helps to protect the appearance of products but also boosts competitiveness and productivity. I don’t think 100 years ago the founders of the Hague System could have imagined that this would be such a crucial system for our society and economy today.”
Reflecting on the centenary, Director General of the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property Hugues Derème noted: "The success and longevity of the Hague System show two important things. First, that protecting designs is essential because they shape our daily lives and even our emotions. And second, that international design protection is vital for innovation in businesses worldwide. For the Benelux – a region driven by creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship – this system remains a cornerstone in helping ideas travel and thrive. At BOIP, we are honored to play our part in the system's global journey from our base in The Hague, where it all began one hundred years ago."
About the Hague System
The Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs was signed in The Hague on November 6, 1925, establishing the Hague System, also known as the international design system. From its initial 11 signatories, the system now comprises 82 members covering 99 countries, simplifying the international protection of industrial designs and fostering global innovation.
As the world of design evolved in the 100 years since the establishment of the Hague System, companies large and small, in countries all over the world, depend on it to bring their ideas to global markets through efficient and economical international design protection.
About WIPO
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the United Nations agency that serves the world’s innovators and creators, ensuring that their ideas travel safely to the market and improve lives everywhere.