Published
April 30, 2026
Design rights may not always command headlines, but they remain a foundational pillar of the modern innovation economy. From household goods and digital equipment to packaging, design shapes how consumers perceive, choose, and interact with products. The 2026 International IP Index shows that while many economies increasingly recognize the economic and strategic value of design rights, progress on design protection remains uneven.
The results: The 2026 Index finds that many economies have enacted statutory frameworks protecting industrial designs, with clear rules governing registration and duration.
- Twenty economies scored 75% or more in the design rights category
- The average design rights score held steady at 64.18%, unchanged from last year.
Signs of progress: The 2026 Index highlights several economies that continued to modernize their design regimes.
- In Saudi Arabia, reforms enacted in 2024 increased the term of protection for registered designs from 10 to 15 years, reinforcing earlier efforts to build a more design-friendly IP environment. Saudi Arabia also concluded negotiations on the Riyadh Design Law Treaty, an initiative aimed at further harmonizing international design registration and facilitating cross‑border protection.
- In Indonesia, proposed amendments to the Design Law would extend protection to up to 15 years, a meaningful improvement over the current ten-year term. While still under legislative review, these reforms signal recognition that design-based innovation requires longer, more predictable exclusivity.
At the same time: The Index underscores that many economies still fall short of best practices. Despite widespread participation in the Hague Agreement, gaps persist in both the term of protection and the effective scope of exclusive rights, limiting designers’ ability to fully commercialize and defend their creations.
Why it matters: Design rights sit at the intersection of creativity and commerce. They are particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, and consumer-facing industries, where visual appeal, usability, and product identity are key contributors to brand recognition and customer loyalty. Design rights are also valuable business assets, strengthening brand reputation and enabling companies to expand into new markets with greater confidence. As design-driven innovation increasingly underpins global trade and competition, effective and predictable design protection is essential to encourage originality, support creativity, and advance sustainable economic growth.
The path forward: Progress on design rights is real but incomplete. Policymakers should prioritize internationally aligned protection terms, streamlined registration systems, and full participation in modern design treaties. Doing so is a strategic investment in innovation, competitiveness, and long‑term growth.
About the author
Kelly Anderson
Kelly Anderson serves as vice president of international policy at the U.S. Chamber’s Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC). Anderson oversees the GIPC’s global advocacy efforts and leads the GIPC’s policy engagement in the multilateral organizations and developed economies.
