Based on the so-called Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property (PCPIP), the protection of a Design in one country, for example, in Switzerland, may for a maximum period of six months following the date of the first filing, be extended to other member states with reference to the first filing date, without the original first filing date (so-called priority) being lost (Art. 4 PCPIP). This may be done, on the one hand, by direct national filing in the respective foreign country. On the other hand, based on the Hague Convention regarding international registration of commercial designs and prototypes (“the Hague Convention”), a single application for Design protection covering up to more than 60 territories can be filed with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO/OMPI). Such international filing procedure allows the Design holders to attain the respective national protection in the named country. Thus, under the Hague Convention, a Swiss Design application may be extended to the desired member states of said Convention. Finally, an application filed with the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trademarks and Community Designs) will lead to protection in all the member states of the European Union.