Since the EU (Community) design system was first introduced in 2002, new technology – in particular new digital innovation – has given prominence to new types of “products” which the EU considers should benefit from design protection.
As part of ongoing efforts to modernise the EU design system, several key changes are being introduced. These changes aim to broaden and clarify the scope of design protection in the EU, while also making the system more accessible and user-friendly.
Non-physical “products”
In particular, as of 1 May 2025, the legal definition of the “products” that are eligible for design protection will now not only encompass products that are physical objects, but also products which materialise in a non-physical form such as graphic works or symbols, logos, and graphical user interfaces. The new regulations also explicitly recognise that animations, such as movements or transitions, of the features of a product can contribute to the appearance of designs and will therefore be explicitly eligible for design protection.
The “Locarno Classification”
Another change will be a simplification of how products are grouped together in design filings. Currently, to file products together as a multi-part design, products must fall within the same “Locarno classification.” For example, designs to a mobile device and a household appliance could not be grouped together in a multi-part application. This classification requirement is being removed, meaning that disparate products or features of the same overall system (with different Locarno classifications) can be filed together in a multi-part design filing. This new approach will reduce the complexity of design filings and will also reduce the up-front cost to applicants by consolidating what would previously have been several design applications into a single design filing.
Design rights holders will also be able to mark their products as having EU design protection by using a circled “D” symbol, similar to the symbols “®” and “©” that already exist for trade marks and copyright.
These changes are welcome, broadening the types of products that the EU design law protects to align with advancements in technology and technology commercialisation which have taken place over the last 20 years.
If you have any questions about obtaining design protection for your products, please contact our designs team.
We are delighted to announce that we have received the Committed Badge from EcoVadis, recognising our ongoing efforts toward sustainability and responsible business practices.
EcoVadis is a globally recognised sustainability assessment platform that evaluates companies on their environmental, social, and ethical performance.
The EcoVadis assessment includes 21 sustainability criteria with a comprehensive review of policies, actions, and results across four main categories: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.
As part of our commitment to society, our people and the environment, at the start of this year we completed a thorough assessment of our business sustainability practices through EcoVadis, and are now proud to share our results.
Why is it important to us?
Receiving the EcoVadis Committed Medal is a positive step in our ongoing sustainability journey. It reflects the foundational work we’ve done to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into our operations. This recognition provides an external validation of our commitment to responsible business practices, and it encourages us to continue building on this progress.
Click here to read more about our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
In the past couple of decades, the number of filed European patents related to defence has risen dramatically. 10,582 individual patent family applications were published between 2000 and 2004, whilst 28,307 were published in the last four years. The areas of “wireless communications” and “aircraft and helicopters” showed the largest jump, largely due to recent developments in drones and cyber security technologies.
UK Government’s Investment in Innovation
To encourage the development of these types of novel technologies in the UK, the Spring Statement, led by Rachel Reeves, included a substantial commitment towards innovation for military purposes. Specifically, Reeves has announced that the government will set aside £400 million for innovative technology and has promised to prioritise UK tech firms, in particular start-ups and SMEs.
This funding arrives on the back of other initiatives already established in the UK government’s effort to drive innovation. In December, the Defence Secretary, John Healey, revealed plans to develop a new Defence Industrial Strategy, to be published in late Spring of this year. The strategy will outline the government’s efforts to prioritise defence as one of the eight “growth-driving” sectors. This includes a commitment to supporting UK businesses, creating new venture opportunities through partnerships with the Ministry of Defence, increasing jobs in the defence sector across the UK, and focusing on novel and early-stage technology. A scheme created specifically to link the Ministry of Defence with such technology is the Defence and Security Accelerator, which seeks out and funds innovation to aid UK defence and security.
But as the government calls for a defence ecosystem characterised by growth and innovation – and provides substantial funding to drive this growth – important considerations arise in how defence manufacturers can best manage their intellectual property.
Balancing Protection and Privacy
One obvious consideration is how to handle potentially sensitive, or secret, subject matter and how to protect inventions that might have national security implications. A common fear when pursuing patent applications for military technologies is the risk of Section 22 directions. This is where the UK Patent Office prevents the publication or dissemination of applications containing sensitive subject matter. Another consideration is how best to commercialise technology whose primary use will be by governments during times of conflict.
In practice, these sorts of Section 22 directions are often avoidable. The UK Patent Office’s 2023 filing data indicates that only 35 directions under Section 22 were issued in that year despite a large number of filings by defence companies (BAE Systems alone filed 116 new applications in 2023).
A large reason for this is that technologies originally intended for military applications often turn out to have substantial other, e.g. civilian, use cases. With careful consideration it is often possible to protect an underlying invention that can be applied to these other use cases without publishing any sensitive information. One example of such a technology is the GPS system, which started life as a purely military technology before being opened up to civilian use. By focusing on these alternative uses, it is often possible to obtain meaningful, and commercially valuable, protection, without risking a Section 22 direction.
Building A Strategy for Defence Tech Firms
To summarise, due to the increased funding being made available, the next few years offer the opportunity for substantial innovation in the defence sector. Companies involved in this innovation should be careful to protect their intellectual property while bearing in mind the unique complexities in this area.
Many of the potential pitfalls can be overcome with careful strategizing. If managed properly, the military technologies of this decade could well turn into ubiquitous civilian technologies in the next decade or even sooner. Companies with a strategy that effectively protects their intellectual property in the short term will be well placed to reap the benefits in the long term.
Mathys & Squire partners with the Swiss Startup Association as a Legal Partner to support the IP work of startups and small businesses within their network. Partner Andrea McShane, Managing Associate Aymeric Vienne and Associate Danielle Champagne form our contact team.
The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is a company dedicated to supporting small businesses with a plethora of networks and resources. With over 1600 startup members, they help encourage the sustainability of the latest innovation and creativity in Switzerland.
Regarding the new partnership, Partner Andrea McShane writes: ‘As an ETH graduate the Swiss start up landscape is close to my heart – and it is such a pleasure to be involved, and to be able to give back in this way. Hopp Schwiiz!’
Through the Swiss Startup Association, Mathys & Squire are offering three different start up packages tailored for the different needs of businesses. As well as this, for SSA members, we are offering a free initial patent filing strategy consultation.
Andrea will also be attending the 2025 Founders Day in Zurich on the 15th of April. Taking place at the Google Campus Europaallee, the event is an opportunity for startups to hear from founders and investors who will share their own experiences, knowledge and expertise to the attending audience.
Click the link here to read more about the partnership.
We are excited to share that our team in Oxford have moved to a new office at Blue Boar Court in the centre of the city. Along with six other science and tech companies, Mathys & Squire have relocated to The Oxford Trust’s new Oxford Centre for Innovation. The official address of our office is now Blue Boar Court, 9 Alfred Street, OX1 4EH.
Opening the office in 2019, Mathys & Squire’s presence in Oxford, an industry hotbed for startups, founders and global brands, reflects our commitment to supporting innovation. The office’s location in the new Centre for Innovation, which sits on the doorstep of University of Oxford’s key academic and research institutions, strengthens our relationship with existing and potential clients.
Mathys & Squire is delighted to have been recognised in JUVE Patent’s UK rankings 2025 for the sixth consecutive year in the fields of ‘Pharma and biotechnology’, ‘Medical technology’, ‘Chemistry’, ‘Digital communication and computer technology’ and ‘Electronics’.
As well as a practice-wide recommendation for the firm, four of our Partners have been recognised as Recommended Individuals: Philippa Griffin, Hazel Ford and James Wilding for ‘Pharma and Biotechnology‘, and Chris Hamer for ‘Chemistry‘.
The JUVE Patent rankings are a result of thorough research conducted by an independent team of journalists, who send out questionnaires and conduct interviews with lawyers, clients, legal academics and judges. In the 2025 edition, UK patent practices, solicitors and barristers who, according to the in-depth research, have a leading reputation in the UK patent law market are celebrated.
To see the JUVE Patent UK 2025 rankings in full, please click here.
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the digital landscape is enabling a fundamental shift in how organisations approach innovation and the commercialisation of intellectual property (IP). As AI technologies continue to advance at an exponential rate, understanding their impact on IP management and monetisation has become essential for maintaining a competitive advantage in the digital sector.
The Power of AI in Digital Innovation
AI technologies are a catalyst for digital transformation, revolutionising how companies process data, automate workflows and accelerate innovation. The applications of AI span from predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms to autonomous systems and intelligent automation platforms. These capabilities enable organisations to process vast quantities of data with unprecedented speed and accuracy, leading to more informed decision-making and accelerated innovation cycles. We also see regular advancements in AI coding abilities across all the major AI platforms, as well as in focused AI coding tools.
Economic analysis highlights AI’s dual role as both a facilitator and disruptor of innovation, challenging traditional IP frameworks to balance incentivisation with societal interests.
Just as the European Patent Office is integrating AI into its everyday tools as it examines patent applications, we recommend that IP owners also integrate AI into their everyday operations. For example, in biomedicine, AI-driven tools are now a key part of drug discovery. Within the university IP commercialisation function, teams, such as at Texas Tech, are finding value in using AI for tasks such as processing invention disclosures, prior art searches, market assessment and contract management.
Furthermore, emerging trends include AI-driven dynamic licensing models, AI agents used for IP commercialisation, finding potential infringers, and blockchain-powered IP transaction systems. We also observe an increase in the pace of advancements in the underlying AI technologies which support many AI-powered deployments within innovating companies.
Strategic IP Management and Optimising IP Commercialisation in the AI Age
At Mathys & Squire Consulting, we recommend organisations carefully consider how to protect and commercialise their innovations, particularly in areas such as proprietary algorithms, data processing methodologies, and novel digital solutions. AI-based technologies have created new opportunities in intellectual property management, and AI related filings continue to increase. However, new challenges have also arisen, as key issues such as ownership and patent eligibility remain contentious for AI-generated innovations.
Beyond filing, companies should consider data ownership, internal processes to avoid risk, staff training on IP and intangible assets, and most of all the company’s intellectual property commercialisation strategy. Success in this domain requires a sophisticated understanding of both technological advancement and how increased revenue can be delivered, whether through direct commercialisation, licensing or sale of unused or unwanted intangible assets.
Why Expert Guidance Matters
For organisations aiming to navigate this complex landscape, expert guidance is crucial. Mathys & Squire Consulting offers the expertise needed to unlock the full commercial potential of the intangible assets and intellectual property which arise from AI-based digital innovations. With a deep understanding of AI technologies, their implications and their commercial potential, our team collaborates with innovators and innovative organisations to recognise and manage your intangible assets, and to optimise your commercial success. Our strategic approach ensures that your organisation can capture and convert its innovative ideas into profitable outcomes.
AI and IP: Next Steps?
Reach out to Richard Nugent at Mathys & Squire Consulting today to discuss your intangible assets, your intellectual property, how you are using or plan to use AI, and your IP commercialisation strategy.
We look forward to collaborating with you to unlock the value in your AI based innovations.
On 12th March, Mathys & Squire sponsored the 2025 NLIL conference for the second year running, hosted at LSE. Partners James Pitchford and Anna Gregson , Technical Assistant Louis Brosnan and Trainee Trade Mark Attorney Tanya Rahman all spoke at the event.
The Non-Law Into Law (NLIL) Conference was first held in 2024 and returned last week after their debut success last year. The event was tailored to students from a diverse range of academic disciplines studying a total of 117 different degree subjects, and successfully highlighted the various pathways available for those interested in pursuing a legal career, even though they may not be currently studying law.
Hosted at LSE, societies from various universities including Imperial College, Warwick, UCL, Durham and Queen Mary were in attendance, with over 300 tickets sold to students who actively listened and engaged with a series of panel discussions, presentations and interactive workshops.
Photo from the 2025 NLIL Conference
From our Mathys & Squire team, we led an IP Workshop, which presented an introduction to Intellectual Property to the attending students, covering the various areas of patents, trade marks, registered designs and copyright, as well as a Careers in IP seminar, examining the different professional paths within the field.
It was a pleasure to attend the event and our team was extremely impressed with the engagement and enthusiasm demonstrated by the attending students.
Find more about the NLIL conference on their website here.
We are excited to share that our German team have now moved to a new office in Munich. The official address of our Munich office is Theatinerstraβe 8, Munich 80333.
The office in Munich opened in 2019, strengthening Mathys & Squire’s already significant European presence. Now, almost six years later, our firm and clients still benefits from the team’s extensive experience and close proximity to the European Patent Office, the German Patent & Trade Mark Office and the German Federal Patent Court.
Following this move, we look forward to continuing to assist our current clients and welcome any opportunities to share our specialist knowledge and international awareness with new clients.
If you require our assistance, please feel free to contact us here.
Es freut uns, mitteilen zu können, dass unser Team in Deutschland in ein neues Büro in München umgezogen ist. Unsere neue Adresse in München ist die Theatinerstraβe 8, München 80333.
Das Büro in München wurde im Jahr 2019 eröffnet und die vorher schon starke europäische Präsenz von Mathys & Squire weiter verstärkt. Fast sechs Jahre später steht unsere Kanzlei und unseren Mandanten weiter mit der tiefgreifenden Sachkenntnis des Teams und der unmittelbarern Nähe zum Europäischen Patentamt, dem Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt und dem Bundespatentgericht zur Verfügung.
Nach diesem Umzug freuen wir uns darauf, unsere bestehenden Mandanten weiter zu unterstützen, und stehen mit unserem Fachwissen und unserer Erfahrung gerne auch neuen Mandanten zur Verfügung.
Wenn Sie unsere Unterstützung wünschen, können Sie uns hier kontaktieren.
Created in 2018 by the Global Recycling Foundation, March 18th is Global Recycling Day, when we are reminded that recycling is key to protecting our planet and ensuring our vital natural resources do not run out. Managing Associate Oliver Parish investigates the technology which has been developed in response to the need for sustainable recycling methods, looking particularly at e-waste.
Our soaring production of waste is one of the key culprits of the current environmental crisis. Electronics, from phones to household appliances to electric car batteries, are responsible for the fastest-growing category of waste, known as e-waste. Nearly 62 billion kg of e-waste was generated worldwide in 2022, a 24% increase from 2019, expected to rise to 82 billion kg in 2030.
We only recycle about one-fifth of e-waste every year and traditional recycling techniques, such as smelting, are damaging for the environment. They are also ineffective in yielding pure metals which are a key element in electronics. Believe it or not, a tonne of discarded mobile phones is richer in gold than a tonne of gold ore. Recovering these metals is key, as the rapidly accelerating demand for electrical items in the last decade means that we are at risk of running out of the necessary materials. It is particularly difficult to recycle these metals from electronics, however, as they are all mixed together in very small amounts.
Consequently, novel recycling techniques which make the most out of scrapped electronics are still at the forefront of scientific innovation. There has been a significant increase in patent activity related to e-waste management in the past few years, rising from 220 to 787 applications per million between 2019 and 2022, yet few of these were for the recovery of raw materials. In particular, the need for innovation has created exciting opportunities for deep tech companies and start ups, as well as the collaboration between universities conducting insightful research and commercial companies.
The Royal Mint’s Gold Recovery
The Royal Mint, founded in 886AD, is the official maker of British coins. Hitting full capacity in February of this year, they built their Precious Metals Recovery Plant to retrieve precious metals from circuit boards, estimated to contain 7% of the world’s gold. The procedure, pioneered in collaboration with Excir, a Canadian cleantech company, uses patented technology involving a chemical solution to extract the gold from the boards. After the other metals, such as copper and silver, are removed, the extraction takes only four minutes, allowing the facility to process 4,000 tonnes of circuit boards and produce half a tonne of gold annually. Royal Mint’s factory is the first in the world dedicated to the sustainable retrieval of gold.
HyProMag’s Magnet Recycling
HyProMag was founded by Allan Walton and his colleagues, researchers at the University of Birmingham. Their technology enables magnets containing rare earth metals in hard-disk drives to be recycled into new magnets, and requires less processing and energy than other e-waste recycling methods. The waste is placed into a cylinder filled with hydrogen atoms which cause the magnets to crumble and separate from the other elements. The resulting product is sieved and grinded to create an alloy. A new, higher capacity plant in Birmingham will be ready to use in the second quarter of this year and there are plans for another in Pforzheim, Germany, allowing the company to hopefully reach a goal of extracting 350 tonnes of metal alloys a year.
Queen’s University Ionic Liquid Laboratories
Ionic liquids are low-melting salts which can be tailored at a molecular level to have special properties. They do not boil or burn, meaning they can be used safely for a range of purposes. Scientists at Queen’s University in Belfast saw the potential for ionic liquids to aid in the recovery of rare earth metals from magnets, developing recycling technology which they hope to apply to e-waste. The use of ionic liquids instead of strong acids or environmentally harmful solvents allows a cleaner and more efficient method of recycling, as well as producing metals at a very high purity level which can be turned into new magnets. Now taking steps to form the first full industrial-scale recycling plant in the UK, the startup company, Ionic Technologies, emerged from their research. They run a facility in Belfast for the processing of used magnets, where their plans to tackle e-waste will take place.
It turns out that the mountains of unwanted electronics which end up in landfill sites are a vital resource for tackling the climbing demand for electronics and fostering a circular economy. Transforming the way we deal with end-of-life electrical products will reduce the pile up of waste, limit the use of virgin materials, and reduce the emissions which are produced by ore extraction and the destruction of e-waste. It is important that we keep encouraging the innovation and dissemination of new technologies such as the ones above to help support our planet.
