WIPO中国：沙特阿拉伯将承办产权组织缔结外观设计法条约外交会议

产权组织成员国代表将于2024年11月11日至22日在沙特阿拉伯利雅得召开会议，就一部拟议的条约进行最后一轮谈判，该条约将在世界各地的设计者寻求保护其外观设计时提供支持。

WIPO member state delegates will convene from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the final leg of negotiations on a proposed treaty that will support designers the world over in seeking protection for their designs.

来自全球各地的约900名代表、观察员和其他利益攸关方已注册参加此次外交会议，它将为产权组织成员国就这一主题进行的近20年谈判划上句号。

Some 900 delegates, observers and other stakeholders from across the globe have registered to join the “Diplomatic Conference,” which will cap almost two decades of negotiations among WIPO member states on the subject.

未来的外观设计法条约（DLT）旨在简化全球外观设计保护体系，使设计者能够更轻松、更快捷、更经济地在本国和海外市场上保护其成果。

The future Design Law Treaty (DLT) aims to streamline the global system for protecting designs, making it easier, faster and more affordable for designers to protect their work in home markets as well as overseas.

“外观设计保护能够确保全球设计人的权利，是保持竞争优势、鼓励创新和在全球市场上保护企业的重要工具，”产权组织总干事邓鸿森表示。

“Design protection secures the rights of creators the world over and is a critical tool for maintaining competitive advantage, encouraging innovation and protecting businesses in a global marketplace,” said WIPO Director General Daren Tang.

邓先生敦促谈判人员“本着建设性和合作的精神对待未完成的谈判，搭建桥梁，寻找共识，以便完成这项重要工作。”

Mr. Tang urged negotiators “to approach the outstanding negotiations in a spirit of constructiveness and cooperation, to build bridges and to identify the common ground that will allow us to conclude this important work.”

“我们感谢沙特阿拉伯王国承办本次外交会议，并提供阿卜杜勒·阿齐兹国王国际会议中心作为会场，这是进行国际谈判的理想场所，”邓先生说。

“We are grateful to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the Diplomatic Conference and making available the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center, a fitting location for international negotiations,” Mr. Tang said.

什么是外观设计法条约？

What is the Design Law Treaty?

外观设计法条约将显著地方便设计者，特别是小型设计者和微型、小型和中型企业注册其作品。外观设计法条约将处理获得外观设计保护的程序，但不涉及外观设计的法律定义或保护条件等问题，这些问题仍属于缔约方的权限范围。

The DLT would make it significantly easier for designers, especially smaller scale designers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to register their work. The DLT would deal with the procedures for obtaining design protection, but not with questions such as the legal definition of design or the conditions for protection, which would remain within the purview of the contracting parties.

其他知识产权类别（包括专利和商标）中已经存在类似的条约。外观设计法条约旨在填补外观设计领域的空白。一份“基础提案”将作为谈判的基础。

Similar treaties already exist in other intellectual property (IP) categories, including patents and trademarks. The DLT aims to fill the gap in the area of designs. A "Basic Proposal" will serve as the basis for negotiations.

2022年——有完整数据的最近一年——国内外观设计申请占外观设计申请总数的83%，这表明通过简化注册流程，跨境申请可能会增加。

Domestic design applications accounted for 83 percent of the total design filings in 2022, the latest year for which full figures exist, showing the potential for increased filing across borders that would be made easier through streamlined registration processes.

外观设计使产品对消费者产生吸引力，从而影响消费者的选择。事实上，产品的成功往往取决于其外观设计。外观设计对于所有“创意从业者”都很重要，无论是个人、中小企业还是大型公司，也无论来自哪个经济部门。外观设计是能够提高产品市场价值并带来竞争优势的商业资产。

By making products attractive to consumers, designs drive consumer choices. In fact, a product’s success is often due to its design. Designs are important for all “creatives,” whether individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or larger companies, in all economic sectors. Designs are business assets that increase a product’s market value and provide a competitive advantage.

一般而言，设计者需要遵循其寻求保护的国家知识产权局规定的申请程序。外观设计权具有地域性：在一个国家（或地区）获得保护的权利仅限于该国（或地区）。

Generally, designers need to follow the filing procedures set by the IP office of the country in which they seek protection. Design rights are territorial: The rights arising from protection obtained in one country (or region) are limited to that country (or region).

由于不同国家的程序大相径庭，设计者很难保护自己的外观设计。外观设计法条约将通过简化保护程序和消除繁琐环节来应对这一挑战。

Procedures vary significantly from one country to another, making it difficult for designers to protect their designs. The DLT will address that challenge by simplifying protection procedures and eliminating red tape.

什么是外交会议？

What is a Diplomatic Conference?

产权组织外交会议通常根据产权组织大会的一项决定举行，该决定确定了会议的目标和与会的一般条件。外交会议受其自身的议事规则和习惯国际法管辖。因此，条约和最后文件是由外交会议本身通过的。

A WIPO diplomatic conference is typically convened by a decision of the WIPO General Assembly, which defines the objective of the conference and the general conditions for participation. Diplomatic conferences are governed by their own rules of procedure and customary international law. Accordingly, it is the conference itself that adopts the treaty and a final act.

本次外交会议开幕之后将分为两个委员会：第一主要委员会和第二主要委员会。第一主要委员会的任务是就所有实质性知识产权条款进行谈判和协商，并建议全体会议通过这些条款。第二主要委员会的工作则是就行政规定和最后条款进行谈判与协商，例如谁有资格加入未来的条约以及使条约生效的条件是什么。此外，还成立了其他三个委员会：资格证书委员会负责核查参加外交会议和签署条约的各代表团的资格证书；起草委员会负责确保条约六种语文的文本同等作准，互相一致；指导委员会由所有委员会的主席团主要成员组成，负责确保外交会议按计划进行。

Upon opening, the diplomatic conference will be divided into two committees: Main Committee I and Main Committee II. The first committee’s mandate is to negotiate and agree on all substantive IP provisions and recommend them for adoption by the plenary. The second committee is charged with negotiating and agreeing on all administrative provisions and final clauses, such as who can join the future treaty and the conditions for its entry into force. Three other committees are also formed: the Credentials Committee, which verifies credentials of delegations to participate in the conference and to sign the treaty; the Drafting Committee, which ensures the six language versions of the treaty are equally authentic and properly aligned; and the Steering Committee, which includes the chief officers of all the committees and ensures the process is on track.

在所有委员会完成其工作之后，条约将会提交给外交会议全体会议通过。其后，条约将开放供签署。在外交会议结束之际签署条约，并不意味着签署国必须受条约规定的约束。只不过表明签署国有强烈的意向而已。最后文件是一份关于举行过外交会议这一事实的记录，也将在条约通过后开放供签署。

When all committees finalize their work, the treaty is sent to the conference plenary for adoption. It is then open for signature. Signing the treaty at the end of a diplomatic conference does not commit a country to being bound by its provisions. It is, however, a strong indication of intent by the signatory. The final act – a record that the conference took place – is also open for signature after adoption.