Reframing Design Law from the Inside Out: Why the DLT Marks a Turning Point for Global Innovation

Abstract The protection of industrial design has long been neglected within international intellectual property law, resulting in a fragmented and exclusionary system despite design’s central role in innovation and user experience. The 2024 Design Law Treaty (DLT), adopted under the WIPO, seeks to remedy this imbalance by harmonizing administrative procedures for design registration, introducing common filing requirements, a 12-month grace period, visual disclaimer norms, and binding obligations on technical assistance and capacity building. While these features make the DLT a pragmatic and potentially transformative step in global IP governance, persistent concerns over national discretion, reservations, and uneven implementation raise doubts about its ability to redress structural inequities. This article contends that the success of the DLT will depend greatly on its national implementation. It analyzes the Treaty’s core provisions, assesses its doctrinal innovations, and identifies areas where further interpretive guidance and implementation support will be essential. Ultimately, it argues that the DLT’s success will depend on whether it is implemented and operationalized as an inclusive legal infrastructure, capable of enabling creativity across borders and closing the global design gap.