The Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) joined the DesignClass system of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) on 23 May 2022. With its participation, TÜRKPATENT became the 15th non-European Union intellectual property office included in the DesignClass system.
DesignClass is the industrial design classification database developed by EUIPO to assist users in identifying and selecting appropriate product indications for industrial design applications. The platform is designed to facilitate harmonized classification practices among participating intellectual property offices and to improve consistency in design filing procedures.
As part of the cooperation between TÜRKPATENT and EUIPO, approximately 12,000 product indications contained in the DesignClass database were translated into Turkish and matched with equivalent indications in other languages. The integration of Turkish-language product indications is expected to make the system significantly more accessible for Turkish applicants, attorneys, industrial designers, and businesses operating in design-intensive sectors.
DesignClass provides a range of user-friendly tools in an online environment to help applicants identify the most suitable product indications corresponding to the products to which an industrial design is applied. The system is based on the EUIPO Harmonised Database of Product Indications (HDBPI), which aims to standardize terminology and classification practices for industrial design registrations among participating intellectual property offices.
The availability of harmonized product indications in Turkish is expected to reduce classification inconsistencies and procedural errors during industrial design filings. It may also contribute to faster examination procedures and improve predictability for both local and international applicants seeking design protection in multiple jurisdictions.
The participation of TÜRKPATENT in DesignClass represents an important step toward greater harmonization between the Turkish industrial design system and international classification practices. The development is expected to facilitate industrial design filings, improve procedural consistency, and enhance accessibility to design-related information for both domestic and international users.
The integration also reflects TÜRKPATENT’s continuing efforts to modernize its digital infrastructure and strengthen international cooperation in the field of intellectual property administration. In recent years, TÜRKPATENT has increasingly participated in international digital IP initiatives and classification projects aimed at improving accessibility, transparency, and efficiency within intellectual property systems.
By joining the DesignClass system, TÜRKPATENT further aligns Türkiye’s industrial design practices with internationally recognized standards and contributes to the broader harmonization efforts led by EUIPO and cooperating intellectual property offices worldwide.