The European Union's design protection regime has undergone its most significant modernisation in over two decades. As part of the EU Design Reform package, which became fully applicable on 1 July 2026, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) now accepts both 3D digital representations and video files when filing registered EU designs. This reflects the growing importance of digital products, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), animations and other dynamic designs in today's economy.
Historically, design applications relied on a series of static images to define the scope of protection. While effective for many traditional products, this approach was not always well suited to designs whose appearance depends on movement, transitions or complex three-dimensional features. The reforms address this by allowing applicants to represent designs using dynamic 3D files, such as OBJ and STL formats, and animated video files - MP4 formats.
In this article, we explore how EU Design Reform 2026 is reshaping design protection through the introduction of 3D and video design filings, and what this means for businesses developing digital and complex product designs.
The reforms also update the definition of a 'design' to expressly include movement, transition and animation. At the same time, the concept of a 'product' has been expanded to encompass non-physical and digital items, including graphical user interfaces, icons and other virtual products.
This is a significant development for businesses operating in sectors such as software, gaming, consumer electronics, virtual reality and digital content creation, where the visual experience often extends beyond what can be captured in a handful of static screenshots.
The practical impact of these changes can already be seen in the first EU design registered using the new video representation format.
The first video-represented EU design protects an animated graphical user interface for a mobile phone game developed by German company Lessmore GmbH. Rather than relying solely on static images, the filing uses video to capture the animated user experience and visual transitions that form part of the design itself.
This landmark registration highlights how the new system can provide more accurate protection for dynamic digital creations that are increasingly common in modern products and services.
The EUIPO has also accepted its first design represented through a 3D digital model.
Owned by Arranged BV in Belgium, the design protects a dice tray incorporating a mobile phone holder. By filing a 3D representation, the design can be viewed from multiple angles and provides a more comprehensive depiction of the product's appearance than might be possible using traditional static views alone.
The registration demonstrates the value of the new format for physical products with complex shapes and configurations, allowing owners to showcase key design features more effectively.
The new ability to file designs using video and 3D representations offers exciting opportunities, particularly for digital products and complex physical designs. However, applicants should resist the temptation to simply upload existing computer-aided design (CAD) files or animations. As with traditional design filings, careful consideration must still be given to what is shown, what is excluded and how the representation will be interpreted years later in an infringement dispute.
While the new rules permit visual disclaimers in 3D and video representations, there is currently little guidance on how these should be applied in practice. Applicants should therefore consider carefully how unclaimed features are identified and ensure that any disclaimer is applied consistently throughout the entire model or animation. As the first disputes involving these new filing formats reach the courts, further guidance on best practice is likely to emerge.
The EU design reforms are intended to create a more future-ready design protection system capable of keeping pace with technological developments and evolving commercial practices. The introduction of video and 3D representations is one of the most significant examples of this shift, offering innovative ways to protect animated interfaces, digital assets and complex product designs.
However, these new opportunities also raise important practical questions. As with any registered design, the scope of protection will be defined by the representation filed. Whilst video and 3D formats may provide a richer and more accurate depiction of a design, they may also create uncertainty as to precisely what is being claimed, particularly where movement, transitions or multiple design features are involved.
For businesses developing innovative products, software interfaces or digital experiences, now is a good time to review design filing strategies and consider how these new representation formats can best be used to protect valuable visual innovations while maintaining clarity as to the scope of protection claimed.
For further information or advice, please contact our intellectual property team.
