El Salvador Joins the Hague System, WIPO International Design Protection Covers 100 Countries

Release Time：2026-07-13 13:53Author：Views：2

On July 8, 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced that El Salvador officially deposited its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement on July 7, becoming the 77th Contracting Party to the Geneva Act and the 83rd member of the Hague Union. This milestone marks the official expansion of the geographical coverage of the WIPO Hague System for the international registration of industrial designs to 100 countries and territories.

Introduction to the Hague System

The Hague System provides designers and businesses worldwide with an efficient mechanism for the international protection of industrial designs – by filing a single international application, in one language, with one set of fees, design protection can be obtained simultaneously in multiple member states. The system is centrally administered by the WIPO International Bureau and represents one of the most important frameworks for international cooperation in the field of industrial designs.

Effective Date and Implications

According to the WIPO announcement, the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement will enter into force in El Salvador on October 7, 2026. Upon that date, two key changes will take effect:

· Designers and businesses in El Salvador will be able to seek design protection in all 100 member states of the Hague System through a single international application, without the need to file separately in each country;

· Designers and businesses that are not residents of El Salvador will also be able to obtain design protection in El Salvador through the Hague System, facilitating access to the Central American market.

Milestone Significance

The coverage of 100 countries by the Hague System represents an important milestone in the development of the international industrial design protection regime. In recent years, as global trade and the internationalization of the design industry have deepened, an increasing number of countries have chosen to join the Hague System to reduce the cost and complexity for businesses in securing cross-border design protection. El Salvador's accession further strengthens the System's coverage network in Latin America.

For the full list of Hague System Members, please refer to: https://en.we-ipr.com/Resources/116

Source: WIPO Official Website

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