EUIPO Releases "Women in Design" Study Tracking Systemic Gaps

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) published its updated structural findings from its Women in Design initiative, revealing a massive disparity in Registered Community Designs (RCDs) that the office is actively trying to correct.

The hard data shows that only 1 in 4 designers (24%) working in the EU are women, and that gap directly impacts the IP filing space. Only 21% of all registered designs filed with the EUIPO list at least one female designer. The study also helped highlight wild swings across member states.

According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office, women are under-represented both in the design profession and among creators of Registered Community Designs, and they also earn less than men in the field. The EUIPO is addressing these disparities through outreach campaigns aimed at supporting and educating female creators about registering and commercializing their design rights.

Reference: (n.d.). Women in Design. https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/publications/women-in-design