IP STRATEGY

The Hague Agreement for International Industrial Design: What It Means for Saudi Arabia

JUN 2026 · 6 min read

The Madrid Protocol does for trademarks what the Hague Agreement does for designs. Saudi Arabia joined it in 2022, enabling Saudi designers to extend protection internationally at low cost through a unified procedure.

What the Hague Agreement Offers

Allows one application to register an industrial design in 96 member countries via WIPO.

Differs from Madrid in that it does not require a home-country base registration. A Saudi designer can file directly with the Hague.

Procedure

Filed electronically through the WIPO platform in Arabic, English, or French.

Contains design images, list of target countries, and fees.

WIPO conducts an initial formal exam, then forwards to country offices for substantive examination.

Important Member States

European Union (all 27 member states).

United States (joined in 2015).

Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Vietnam.

Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt.

UAE, Bahrain, Oman.

Cost

WIPO base fees: about 400 Swiss francs (~SAR 1,700).

Per-country fees: 100–500 francs. Registering in 10 countries: ~SAR 15,000–25,000.

Compared to direct registration in each country (SAR 60,000+ for 10), Hague saves 60% of cost.

Duration and Renewal

Initial protection is 5 years, renewable in 5-year increments.

Maximum protection varies by country (15 years in most, 25 in the EU).

Renewal via WIPO is one-time across all countries, replacing separate renewals.

When to Use Hague?

A Saudi designer exporting to 3+ countries = Hague saves cost and time.

A designer targeting one country = direct registration there is faster.

A product at high risk of fast international copying = Hague before launch.

Summary

The Hague Agreement converts industrial design from local to regional or global protection at a reasonable cost. At Rights we manage Hague files for Saudi designers, especially in fashion, furniture, and consumer electronics.