Industrial Designs Law in Lebanon
Industrial designs in Lebanon are protected under the Law on the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property (Law No. 75/1999) and the Law on the Protection of Industrial Property (Law No. 240/2000). Below is an overview of the Industrial Designs Law in Lebanon:
📌 Legal Framework
Law No. 240/2000 – Protection of Industrial Property
This law covers patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and utility models.
Law No. 75/1999 – Protection of Literary and Artistic Property
Occasionally overlaps with design law in cases involving artistic works.
Paris Convention – Lebanon is a member since 1924.
WIPO Membership – Lebanon is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
🎨 What Qualifies as an Industrial Design?
An industrial design refers to the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article. It may consist of:
Three-dimensional features (shape or surface of an object)
Two-dimensional features (patterns, lines, colors)
To be protected, the design must be:
New
Original
Visible in the final product
📝 Registration Process
Filing Authority: Ministry of Economy and Trade – Directorate of Intellectual Property Protection
Filing Requirements:
Application form
Representations of the design (drawings or photographs)
Description (if necessary)
Payment of fees
Examination: Formal examination only (not substantive).
Publication: After registration.
🔒 Duration of Protection
Initial term: 5 years
Renewable: Twice for 5 years each
Maximum protection: 15 years
🚫 Infringement and Enforcement
Infringement occurs when a third party uses a protected design without authorization.
Enforcement measures include:
Civil litigation
Injunctions
Seizure of infringing goods
Criminal prosecution (in severe cases)
⚖️ Challenges and Limitations
Limited public awareness
Enforcement hurdles in the judicial system
No substantive examination may lead to weak rights being registered
🌍 International Protection
Designers seeking protection outside Lebanon must:
File separately in each country
Or apply via international agreements (Lebanon is not a member of the Hague System for international design registration)
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