The main Hague system changes in 2026 came out of the Hague Union Assembly held in Geneva from 7 to 15 July: the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) and Lao PDR joined the system, the rule that all designs in one application must share a Locarno class is still under review, and 3D and video formats have been left for a future session. For international filers, the EU design and the Hague route now accept different formats, so the right route depends on the design.
Update (October 2026): the draft report of the session, published on 14 August, shows the EU and several Member States backing the removal of the single-class rule and new representation formats, and a split over a proposal to add Russian as a Hague language. WIPO, H/A/46/2 Prov.
Key takeaways
- The Assembly only took note of the Working Group report; the Hague Regulations were not amended.
- EAPO (eight states, including Russia) and Lao PDR can be designated from 10 and 14 October 2026 respectively.
- Multiple Hague applications must still keep all designs in one Locarno class; the EU design no longer requires this.
- The EUIPO has accepted 3D and video files since 1 July 2026; the Hague System accepts neither yet.
What did the Hague Union Assembly decide in July 2026?
The Hague System is the WIPO treaty system that lets you register up to 100 designs in many countries with one international application. According to the Summary Report of the WIPO Assemblies (A/68/9, 15 July 2026), the Hague Union Assembly took note of the report on the Working Group on the Legal Development of the Hague System (document H/A/46/1, 31 March 2026). It covers the Working Group’s session of October 2025:
| Topic | Status after July 2026 | What it means for applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Removing the single-class requirement | Further document requested for the 15th session | Separate applications per Locarno class are still needed |
| 2D image formats | Enhancement agreed; consultation forum on implementation | Better image quality, timing still open |
| 3D and video files | Discussion continues at a future session | Not available in Hague applications |
| Schedule of Fees | Broader review requested | Current fees stay in place for now |
| New languages | Cost and translation studies requested | English, French and Spanish remain the only languages |
Who joins: EAPO and Lao PDR
Under Hague Notification No. 156, EAPO deposited its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act on 10 July 2026, with effect from 10 October 2026. Notification No. 157 records Lao PDR’s accession on 14 July 2026, in force from 14 October 2026.
EAPO runs a regional design system covering its eight member states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Its office is in Moscow. According to EAPO, one Eurasian title can cover up to 100 designs in the same Locarno class.
Sanctions warning: Russia and Belarus are subject to EU restrictive measures (Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 and Regulation (EC) No 765/2006, among others), and to UK and US regimes. Before designating EAPO, check with an adviser whether paying fees, appointing local representatives or dealing with any party in the region raises sanctions issues for your company.
Why the single-class rule matters
Under Rule 7 of the Hague Regulations, the designs in one international application must belong to the same class of the Locarno Classification, the international system for classifying products in design registrations (WIPO guidance, September 2025). A furniture range with matching lamps and textiles needs several applications, each with its own basic fee.
The EU went the other way. Article 44 of Regulation (EU) 2026/715 allows up to 50 designs in one multiple application without a same-class condition.
Which Hague system changes in 2026 affect your filings?
The biggest one is a change that did not happen. Since 1 July 2026, the EUIPO accepts designs represented in 3D (OBJ, STL) or video (MP4) files, as its representation guidance explains, alongside up to ten static views. The Hague System still takes static images only, and the EUIPO warns that offices outside the EU may not accept dynamic or animated designs as a priority basis.
- Animated interfaces or designs best shown in motion: file directly at the EUIPO and plan static versions for other countries.
- Static designs for many markets: the Hague route remains efficient, one class per application.
What this means for your business
- Sort your 2026-2027 filings by design type: static, animated or 3D.
- Group designs by Locarno class before budgeting Hague applications.
- Do not wait for the single-class reform: the next step is only a new Working Group document.
- For EAPO or Lao PDR, check the date and sanctions, then decide.
If you file in Europe, Latin America and Africa and need the routes compared design by design, our team for international design registration through the EUIPO and the Hague System can prepare that plan.
Where companies get this wrong
- Treating an Assembly as a rule change: taking note of a report amends nothing.
- Filing a video EU design and assuming it will support priority claims in every other country.
- Designating new members too early: an application filed before the entry-into-force date cannot include them, and the Hague System does not allow later designations.
- Ignoring sanctions because a filing looks routine.
Frequently asked questions
When can I designate EAPO or Lao PDR in a Hague application?
From 10 October 2026 for the Eurasian Patent Organization and from 14 October 2026 for Lao PDR, the dates on which the Geneva Act enters into force for them under WIPO Notifications No. 156 and 157. Earlier applications cannot include them, and Hague designations cannot be added later.
Can I file a 3D or video design through the Hague System?
Not yet. The Working Group agreed to improve 2D image formats but left 3D and video files for a future session. If motion or a 3D model is essential, the EUIPO has accepted OBJ, STL and MP4 files for EU designs since 1 July 2026.
Has the Hague single-class rule been abolished?
No. The proposal to remove the requirement that all designs in a multiple application belong to the same Locarno class is still under study, and the Working Group asked WIPO for a further document for its fifteenth session. Until then, each class needs its own application.
Can IP Global Guard handle Hague filings for my company?
Yes. We prepare and coordinate international design applications before WIPO and EU design filings before the EUIPO, directly where our professionals are entitled to act and otherwise through qualified representatives, and coordinate local correspondents for any refusal, with a single point of contact.
Plan your design filings with IP Global Guard
IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, manages design portfolios with one strategy and one billing relationship across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa, extending them elsewhere through the Hague System and local correspondents.
Tell us which designs you plan to protect, how they are best shown and where. We will propose a route for each. Contact our design team.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the position on its publication date.
Sources
- WIPO, Assemblies of the Member States, Summary Report A/68/9 (15 July 2026)
- WIPO, Hague Union Assembly, document H/A/46/1 (31 March 2026)
- WIPO Lex, Hague Notification No. 156, EAPO (10 July 2026)
- WIPO Lex, Hague Notification No. 157, Lao PDR (14 July 2026)
- EAPO, States party to the Convention
- EAPO, A Eurasian space for design protection (29 May 2026)
- WIPO, Guidance on including multiple designs in an international application (September 2025)
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2026/715 on European Union designs (30 March 2026)
- EUIPO, Design representation
- European Commission, Sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine (updated 23 July 2026)
- WIPO, Hague Union Assembly, draft report H/A/46/2 Prov. (14 August 2026)
