Regulation 6 Duration of design rightI1

Part III of the Act has effect as if for section 216 of the Act there was substituted the following:

“216

The design right in a semiconductor topography expires—

(a)

ten years from the end of the calendar year in which the topography or articles made to the topography were first made available for sale or hire anywhere in the world by or with the licence of the design right owner, or

(b)

if neither the topography nor articles made to the topography are so made available within a period of fifteen years commencing with the earlier of the time when the topography was first recorded in a design document or the time when an article was first made to the topography, at the end of that period.”.

Subsection (2) of section 263 of the Act has effect as if the words “or a semiconductor topography” were inserted after the words “in relation to an article”.

The substitute provision set out in paragraph (1) above has effect subject to regulation 7 below.