Annual Technical Report on Industrial Design Information Activities in 2020 submitted by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
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Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.
The expression "industrial designs" covers industrial designs and models.
Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in this series of Annual Technical Reports.
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of industrial design information activities and expected time frames for their realization
Supported institutional objectives in the field of
I. Industrial property examinations and procedures
- high level of compliance with the requirements of the national intellectual property protection authority activity (industrial property rights, copyright activity) in accordance with international professional requirements and the requirements of ISO standards
- strengthening the service provider nature of official activities, maintaining partnerships with customer
II. Public documentation and information activities in the field of intellectual property
Improving the conditions of industrial property and copyright culture with support programs of awareness, information and qualification of customer service, value-added service, IT and education; purposeful support of science, technology and innovation policy strategies to improve national efficiency
III. Participation in the preparation of legislation regulating the protection of intellectual property and relating to research and development activities
- comprehensive, effective and proactive implementation of governmental tasks and responsibilities in the preparation of legislation related to the protection of intellectual property (industrial property rights and copyright) and research and development activities, with special regard to the needs of European Union and domestic policies
IV. Performing professional tasks in the field of international and European cooperation in the field of intellectual property
- fulfillment of the tasks of the member states arising from the European integration of Hungary in the field of protection of intellectual property (European Patent Convention, Community trademark and design protection system, copyright), with special regard to the interests of Hungary; expansion of the role of Hungary in international official co-operation in proportion to the official knowledge base in the service of becoming a regional center
- the continuous improvement of the quality of the Office's research services under international agreements
New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies(plans) mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks
Main areas of industrial design information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year
Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants (registrations) with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes
According to EUIPO data the number of Community design applications is increasing from year to year. In 2020, the number of Community design applications amounted to more than 30 thousand, and that of the designs contained therein to 99 thousands.
Compared to the previous year, the number of RCD applications increased by more than 8% and the number of designs by nearly 4%. The average number of designs contained in Community design applications was 3.2.
In order to obtain protection in Hungary, foreign-based applicants typically opt for the European Union route and acquire Community design protection at the EUIPO. In 2020, the number of Community design applications filed by Hungarian applicants increased significantly to 679, which is an increase of 52 %.
In 2020, HIPO received 139 national design applications, which contained 526 designs, so on average one application contained 3.7 designs.
Compared to the previous year, the number of design applications filed via the national route increased by 4,5 % and the number of designs contained in the applications by 22,6 %.
The majority of applications, 51% were filed electronically, 18% were submitted per post and the same percentage in person, while the rest were received through terminal.
Design applications filed via the national route originated typically from individual applicants.
97% of all applications originated from domestic applicants, and 87% were filed by individual applicants. In 2020, the most design applications (44) were filed by three individual applicants.
At the end of 2020, 3075 national design protections were in force, 9% fewer than a year earlier. The age pyramid of valid designs peak in the 17th year.
Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
Annual Reports:
https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/en/publications/hungarian-intellectual-property-office-annual-report
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs
Detailed information and support is accessible on the website of HIPO, eg.:
e-Filing: https://ugyintezes.sztnh.gov.hu/eBej2/step1
Forms and fees: https://ugyintezes.sztnh.gov.hu/eBej2/sugo#5
How can I protect my intellectual property?: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/hogyan-vedjem-a-szellemi-tulajdonomat/hogyan-vedjem-a-termekem-megjeleneset
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
The e-dossier gives inspection and communication platform providing online administration.
E-dossier: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-aktabetekintes/?lang=HU
Classification and reclassification activities; classification system used, e.g., International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification), other classification
Locarno Classification: edition 13:
http://www.wipo.int/classifications/locarno/locpub
Other activities
III. SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
Main types of publications in the field of industrial design information, outline of the content (industrial design applications, design patents, registrations, etc.) and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)
Design: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/formatervezesi-minta
E-SEARCH: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-kutatas/?lang=HU
Web-based GAZETTE, published twice a month: http://www.hipo.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/szabadalmi-kozlony-es-vedjegyertesito
Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.
Web-based GAZETTE, published twice a month: http://www.hipo.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/szabadalmi-kozlony-es-vedjegyertesito
Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external documentation and databases
E-SEARCH (internal): http://epub.hpo.hu/e-kutatas/?lang=HU
DesignView: https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome?lang=hu
Hague Express: http://www.wipo.int/designdb/hague/en/
Web-based GAZETTE, published twice a month: http://www.hipo.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/szabadalmi-kozlony-es-vedjegyertesito
Locarno Classification: edition 13: http://www.wipo.int/classifications/locarno/locpub
Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) and services available to external users; conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
Access is free of charge:
E-SEARCH (for the public): http://epub.hpo.hu/e-kutatas/?lang=HU
DesignView: https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome?lang=hu
Hague Express: http://www.wipo.int/designdb/hague/en/
Web-based GAZETTE, published twice a month: http://www.hipo.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/szabadalmi-kozlony-es-vedjegyertesito
Locarno Classification: edition 13: http://www.wipo.int/classifications/locarno/locpub
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
E-Dossier: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-aktabetekintes/?lang=HU just for information purposes.
Certified statement on the validity of protection can be received against payment.
Other sources
IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements
In order to renew HIPO’s internal case management system in a comprehensive manner, the introduction of EUIPO’s Back Office system is ongoing, which was already implemented by more than 10 EU member states and used as their own internal case management system. The joint project of the two offices enjoys the EUIPO’s methodological, professional and financial support. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2023 when the trade mark and design development packages go live and the project is concluded.
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
The Unified Administrative System of the Office comprises the bibliographic and image data, the documents and the official letters that belong to the different intellectual property rights, namely patent, plant variety protection, spc, utility model, trademark, industrial design.
The public electronic-databases GAZETTE, IP-SEARCH, E-REGISTER, E-DOSSIER are also used by the Examiners. IP-SEARCH database has an internal version for internal use only with the additional data that are not accessible for the public.
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
Databases: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/formatervezesi-minta/adatbazisok
covers: IP-search, DesignView, Hague Express
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
The Unified Administrative System of the Office is used for file building covering all industrial property titles of protection. It is updated real-time and has a daily backup storage. All incoming documents are scanned since 2012.
Other matters
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
Office's library (if deals with industrial design information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries
In the Frecskay János Special Library, valuable documents related to intellectual property are available, the major part of which cannot be found in other public collections in Hungary. The Office formulated a digitalisation strategy defining the scope of documents recommended for digitalisation in order to make this unique public collection content customer-friendly, available and searchable to the public.
In 2020 more than 4000 thousand pages were digitalised, which content can be found on the Hungaricana Public Collection Portal.
See: Industrial Property Special Library: http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/en/services/industrial-property-special-library
Publications related to different business procedures and industrial design information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
The partners and customers of HIPO, who are interested in intellectual property, can choose from a variety of services or programs of customer service, information provision and education, eg.: AIDA, IP-Panorama, Start-up guide, Partner Search, Tenders, IP-Valuation, etc.: http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/vallalkozoknak/hogyan-kezdjek-hozza
Users can access useful and free of charge e-administration and information services on the website such as e-administration, e-search and e-register. In addition to those, they can use the TM e-Filing system to file trade mark applications, the TMview system for electronic trade mark search, or the Designview database, which contains designs protected in the European Union, as well as the GIView database introduced in 2020 containing the geographical indications protected in the European Union.
The website of HIPO (www.sztnh.gov.hu) can offer valuable information both to potential clients who are less well-informed of intellectual property matters and to professional users. The number of individually identifiable visitors was 496 thousand, who visited the portal on 1.23 million occasions downloading more than 13 million pages in 2020.
On the website there are 69 thousand files available with individual Internet links.
The official journal of HIPO, the Gazette for Patents and Trade Marks, containing our official publications, is published online on the website of HIPO with free of charge access and certified by electronic signature. In 2020 more than 190 users visited the publication’s webpage (that is a 21% increase compared to the previous year) and opened 88 thousand pdf pages.
The Industrial Property and Copyright Review has been issued for 15 years as a specialised bimonthly publication. As result of the pandemic and the change of approach in the Office, the periodical is accessible from the time of publication on, free of charge, by open access on HIPO’s website.
Continually updated professional publications
In 2020 the reference books entitled Introduction to Copyright, Introduction to Industrial Property Protection and Industrial Property Protection were published with renewed content and design, and in open access format they can be downloaded free of charge on HIPO’s website.
In addition, an awareness-raising outreach material, entitled Research and Development Qualification was prepared both in Hungarian and in English language, which was very well received among the customers. The publication is also available on HIPO’s website.
The Office also published the latest analysis of a series, entitled Economic Contribution of Copyright-based Industries in Hungary 6.
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
HIPO had cooperation agreements in force with 16 universities in 2020. Besides the existing cooperation agreements, HIPO concluded new and renewed ones with the Hungarian Bridges initiative, the University of Miskolc, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Eötvös Loránd Research Network and the Tungsram-iLex Innovation Marketplace.
Bodies
Several bodies operate alongside HIPO, which plays a determining role in their work. From among these the most important ones are the Hungarian Design Council, the National Board Against Counterfeiting, the Council of Copyright Experts and the Body of Experts on Industrial Property.
The Hungarian Design Council (HDC) assists the competitiveness of the Hungarian national economy with the tools of design culture and design ecosystem. The presidential tasks of the HDC have been performed by the President of HIPO, Gyula Pomázi.
During the seventeen years of its existence, the Design Week Budapest has earned international recognition. The festival, organised from 1 to 11 October 2020, with the slogan Keep it in circulation! expected the visitors with 160 programmes. The webpage, social media sites, online events and newsletters reached more than 350 thousand stakeholders.
The events organised by external partners of the festival also attracted almost 100 thousand participants.
HDC has the responsibility to administer the long-standing Hungarian Design Award, the Design Management Award competition and the Moholy-Nagy László Design Scholarship Programme.
At the Hungarian Design Award competition 11 works won a prize, 4 Hungarian enterprises received the Hungarian Design Award, and in the framework of the Moholy-Nagy László Design Scholarship
8 young designers were given the opportunity to implement their professional programmes.
The electronic Start Up Guide, which has assisted the establishment of young designers’ enterprises for 15 years providing them with up-to-date information, was compiled again and focussed also on features of the pandemic.
National Board Against Counterfeiting
In order to reduce the supply of counterfeit and pirated products, to enhance the effectiveness of enforcement action in the fight against counterfeiting and to mitigate the infringement of IP rights, the National Board Against Counterfeiting (NBAC) draws up proposals for regulation, organises events and information campaigns for awareness raising and conducts surveys. The President of NBAC is Judit Varga, Minister of Justice, its Vice-President is Gyula Pomázi, President of HIPO.
The NBAC has brought about close cooperation with domestic and international stakeholders, and actively participates in the joint actions aiming at the roll back of counterfeit goods (STOP international action against counterfeit medicines and products related to the coronavirus epidemic, confiscation of counterfeit supporter relics and and sports requisites at the UEFA Super Cup).
The launch of the publication “Distinction between grain refuse and wheat – counterfeiting of works of art with Hungarian eyes” was on 26 February 2020. The latest volumes of the NBAC brochures were published, which reviewed the previous year’s events (NBAC – Annual Report 2019) and summarised the board’s researches.
Expert Bodies
The Council of Copyright Experts gives expert opinion to the courts and other authorities on issues arising in copyright legal disputes, and expert opinion may also be requested from the body before the starting of legal proceedings or for out of court purposes. In 2020 the Body received 34 invitations or appointments for giving expert opinion and 2 requests for supplementary expert opinion, concerning 14 types of work. During the year 28 expert opinions were completed.
On legal disputes concerning industrial property rights the courts and other authorities or clients may request the opinion of the Body of Experts on Industrial Property. In 2020 the Body received 9 requests or assignments. With regard to the subject matter of the requests or assignments, most of them referred to different fields of industrial property protection.
Education and training: training courses, e learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
In 2020 HIPO participated in the teaching of intellectual property protection as an independent subject of a semester in 15 faculties of 10 universities, and at a further 6 universities the teaching of IP rights protection was integrated into a subject offering entrepreneurial /technical/legal/social and/or scientific knowledge.
After the Government declared the state of danger due to the pandemic, HIPO significantly revised its education and training concept, prepared its online training scheme on MS Teams platform, and rescheduled its ongoing and already announced trainings accordingly.
For the eighth time in 2019-2020, HIPO invited applications for the “Ujvári János Award for Diploma Works”, the purpose of which is to make graduating students of higher education explain the intellectual property protection aspects of their theses or dissertations. The basic, intermediate and advanced level industrial property courses, the basic and intermediate level copyright courses as well as the specially targeted courses organised by HIPO play an important role in the knowledge sharing of intellectual property.
Eight basic level industrial property courses were organised with a total of 179 participants. Intermediate level industrial property courses started twice with 34 participants. The II. and III. trimester of the ongoing advanced level industrial property course continued with 26 participants.
It is an important achievement that in 2020 HIPO accredited its trainings with the Hungarian Bar Association and the Pest County Government Office (adult training accreditation). On 25 March 2020 the Hungarian Bar Association’s Accreditation and Education Committee registered HIPO on No. AK001009/2020. Due to the pandemic, the first accredited training for attorneys-at-law was held in the second half of the year and it attracted great interest.
In 2020, the total number of hours of intellectual property protection related courses taught in cooperation with HIPO amounted to 1120 number of hours of education with 2421 persons attending those courses.
That is, the number of hours increased by 77%, and the number of students by 12% compared to 2019.
E-learning modules:
http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/sztnh/szellemitulajdon-vedelmi-kepzes/tavoktatas
Other activities
VI.INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
International exchange of industrial design information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
Web-pages of IP-search, DesignView, Hague Express are accessible from the home-page of the HIPO: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/formatervezesi-minta/adatbazisok
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information
Several bodies operate alongside HIPO, which plays a determining role in their work. From among these the most important ones are the Hungarian Design Council, the National Board Against Counterfeiting, the Council of Copyright Experts and the Body of Experts on Industrial Property.
Hungarian Design Council
The Hungarian Design Council (HDC) assists the competitiveness of the Hungarian national economy with the tools of design culture and design ecosystem. The presidential tasks of the HDC have been performed by the President of HIPO, Gyula Pomázi.
During the seventeen years of its existence, the Design Week Budapest has earned international recognition. The festival, organised from 1 to 11 October 2020, with the slogan Keep it in circulation! expected the visitors with 160 programmes. The webpage, social media sites, online events and newsletters reached more than 350 thousand stakeholders. The events organised by external partners of the festival also attracted almost 100 thousand participants.
HDC has the responsibility to administer the long-standing Hungarian Design Award, the Design Management Award competition and the Moholy-Nagy László Design Scholarship Programme. At the Hungarian Design Award competition 11 works won a prize, 4 Hungarian enterprises received the Hungarian Design Award, and in the framework of the Moholy-Nagy László Design Scholarship 8 young designers were given the opportunity to implement their professional programmes.
Web-page of Hungarian Design Council:
https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/testuletek/mft/udvozoljuk-a-magyar-formatervezesi-tanacs-oldalain
Assistance to developing countries
Other activities