How Do Recent Amendments to the Designs Act Protect Australian Designers?
The Designs Amendment (Advisory Council on Intellectual Property Response) Act 2021 (Cth) received Royal Assent on 10 September 2021, and introduces key changes to designs law in Australia. In particular, a 12 month “grace period” will be introduced, which protects applicants who use or publish their design before filing. The majority of the amendments commence on 10 March 2022, and we outline in detail below the key changes and what you need to know.