{"id":101704,"date":"2025-12-09T16:38:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/?p=101704"},"modified":"2025-12-09T16:52:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:52:29","slug":"design-and-copyright-after-the-mio-ruling-the-end-of-the-overall-impression-in-belgium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/en\/design-en-auteursrecht-na-het-mio-arrest-het-einde-van-de-totaalindruk-in-belgie\/","title":{"rendered":"Design and copyright after the Mio ruling: the end of the \u2018overall impression\u2019 in Belgium?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is a utility item, such as a designer table or a modular cabinet system, protected by copyright? And when does counterfeiting occur? On 4 December 2025, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) provided clarity in the joined cases <a href=\"https:\/\/curia.europa.eu\/juris\/document\/document.jsf?text=&amp;docid=306835&amp;pageIndex=0&amp;doclang=NL&amp;mode=req&amp;dir=&amp;occ=first&amp;part=1&amp;cid=1494688\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Mio<\/em> and <em>USM Haller<\/em><\/a> . The core message is threefold: (1) there are no stricter requirements for the protection of designs than for other works, (2) purely technical choices are unprotected, and (3) the criterion of \u2018overall impression\u2019 in cases of infringement is replaced by the test of \u2018recognizable adoption of creative elements\u2019. This ruling necessitates a review of established Belgian case law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-de-feiten-en-juridische-context\">The facts and legal context<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This ruling stems from two preliminary questions referred by a Swedish and a German court, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Swedish case (C-580\/23<strong>)<\/strong> stood furniture giant <em>Mio<\/em> faced off against <em>Gallery Mikael &amp; Thomas Asplund<\/em>. The issue at stake was the copyright protection of the \u2018Palais Royal\u2019 dining tables. Mio disputed that these tables were protected by copyright, arguing that they were based on simple variations of well-known models and were insufficiently original.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101706\" style=\"width:228px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palais-Royal-White-stained-oak-900x900_1200x1200-1-270x270.jpg 270w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the German case (C-795\/23<strong>)<\/strong> it revolved around the iconic modular furniture system from <em>USM Haller<\/em>. <em>Konektra<\/em> sold spare parts and even complete furniture sets that were identical to those of USM. The German court questioned whether higher standards of originality should be applied to \u2018works of applied art\u2019 (design) than to other works (the so-called \u2018rule-exception relationship\u2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"729\" height=\"481\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101707\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.51559312153891;width:368px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302.jpeg 729w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302-300x198.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302-18x12.jpeg 18w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302-370x244.jpeg 370w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302-270x178.jpeg 270w, https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764848160302-570x376.jpeg 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key question in both cases was identical: how does design law (protection of new appearances) relate to copyright law, and what criteria apply to protection and infringement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-de-beslissing-van-het-hof-van-justitie\">The decision of the Court of Justice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its ruling of December 4, 2025, the Court of Justice provides clarity on three fundamental pillars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-geen-hogere-drempel-voor-design\">1. No higher threshold for design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Court rejects the idea that there is a \u2018rule-exception relationship\u2019 between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/en\/design-right-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design right<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/en\/copyright\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">copyright<\/a>. Objects of applied art (design) must meet the same originality requirements as any other work (such as literature or music). No higher requirements may be imposed on the designer's free and creative choices. This definitively dismisses the theory that concurrent protection must be \u2018exceptional\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-oorspronkelijkheid-vrije-en-creatieve-keuzes\">2. Originality = free and creative choices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An object is a copyright-protected work if it reflects the personality of the author. This is achieved by making free and creative choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What doesn't count?<\/strong> Choices dictated by technical limitations, ergonomics, or safety. The mere fact that a design has an \u201caesthetically significant effect\u201d is also insufficient.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What does count?<\/strong> The external design on which the author has left his personal mark, even if he uses existing forms, as long as the combination or arrangement shows creativity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-inbreuk-einde-van-de-algemene-visuele-indruk\">3. Infringement: end of the \u2018overall visual impression\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the most far-reaching part of the ruling. In order to establish copyright infringement, the judge may not consider the \u201coverall visual impression\u201d (or overall impression) created by the two objects. The criterion, on the other hand, is whether creative elements of the protected work have been incorporated in a recognizable manner into the infringing object<strong> <\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-juridische-analyse-en-duiding\">Legal analysis and interpretation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This ruling is more than a confirmation of the status quo; it is an adjustment that directly affects Belgian legal practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-het-failliet-van-de-totaalindruk\">The failure of the \u2018overall impression\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many years, Belgian courts, including the Court of Cassation (see, for example, the ruling of September 25, 2003, in the case of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/juportal.be\/JUPORTAwork\/ECLI:BE:CASS:2003:ARR.20030925.5_NL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Index\/Biblo<\/a><\/em>), often used a comparison that relied heavily on the \u201coverall impression\u201d or the \u201csynthetic consideration of similarities\u201d to determine infringement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CJEU now explicitly states that the comparison of the overall impression belongs in design law, not in copyright law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With this ruling, the Court is clearly breaking with the tradition of the Benelux courts. The focus must shift from \u201cdo these two tables resemble each other?\u201d to \u201chas table B specifically copied those creative elements (e.g., the shape of the legs or the edge of the tabletop) from table A?\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The explicit rejection of the term \u2018general impression\u2019 forces Belgian legal practice to formulate conclusions and judgments differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-de-introductie-van-het-herkenbaarheidscriterium\">The introduction of the \u2018recognizability criterion\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of the overall impression, the criterion is: have the creative elements been copied in a recognizable way<strong> <\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This concept, borrowed from the <a href=\"https:\/\/curia.europa.eu\/juris\/document\/document.jsf?text=&amp;docid=216552&amp;pageIndex=0&amp;doclang=NL&amp;mode=lst&amp;dir=&amp;occ=first&amp;part=1&amp;cid=1501622\"><em>Pelham<\/em>-ruling<\/a> (which was about sampling in music) is now being generalized to design. The question here is: for whom should this recognizability exist? For the consumer? For the judge? For the expert? Or for an AI?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vagueness of \u2018recognizability\u2019 can lead to legal uncertainty. There is a risk that judges will interpret this subjectively, which can lead to unpredictable rulings in counterfeiting cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-intentie-en-context\">Intent and context<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Court also clarifies the burden of proof. The designer's intention (\u201cI wanted to create art\u201d) is irrelevant if it is not objectively expressed in the object<sup><\/sup>. Even success in museums or recognition in professional circles after the fact is not decisive for protection.<sup><\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Copyright protection must be evident from the object <em>themselves.<\/em> This is an important filter against subjective claims by designers who retrospectively claim \u2018art\u2019 for banal work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wat-betekent-dit-concreet-voor-uw-onderneming\">What does this mean for your business?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you are a designer, manufacturer, or retailer, the rules of the game have been tightened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-voor-ontwerpers-en-rechthebbenden\">1. For designers and rights holders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Good news:<\/strong> The threshold for protection has not been raised. You do not need to prove \u2018artistic value,\u2019 only that you have made free, creative choices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Action item:<\/strong> Document your design process. Because intentions don't count unless they are visible, you must be able to point out exactly which specific lines, shapes, or combinations are the result of your creative freedom (and not technical necessity) in a lawsuit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategy:<\/strong> In cases of counterfeiting, you should no longer focus on the \u2018broad similarities\u2019, but on the dissection of your design: \u201cThe opposing party has recognizably copied elements X and Y, which bear my creative stamp.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-voor-concurrenten-en-geinspireerde-makers\">2. For competitors and \u2018inspired\u2019 creators<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Warning:<\/strong> Changing a few details to alter the \u2018overall impression\u2019 may no longer be enough to get away with it. If you recognizably copy a specific, creative element (e.g., a unique connection on a cabinet), you are committing infringement, even if the cabinet looks different as a whole.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Way out:<\/strong> If you can demonstrate that the elements you have adopted are purely technical (e.g., a standard screw connection or a shape necessary for stability), there is no copyright infringement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faq-veelgestelde-vragen\">FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is every piece of furniture now protected by copyright?<\/strong> <br>No. Only furniture that is the result of the maker's \u201cfree and creative choices.\u201d Objects that owe their form purely to their technical function (e.g., a standard warehouse rack) are not covered by copyright, because there was no room for creative freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What is the difference between design rights and copyright following this ruling?<\/strong> <br>Design rights protect \u2018novelty\u2019 and \u2018individual character\u2019 and usually require registration. Copyright arises automatically and requires \u2018originality\u2019 (personal stamp). The Court confirms that both rights can coexist on a single object, but they have different assessment frameworks. The \u2018overall impression\u2019 remains relevant for design rights, but no longer for copyright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>May I draw inspiration from existing trends?<\/strong> <br>Yes. Following a style or trend is not in itself an infringement. Infringement only occurs when you specifically adopt those elements that constitute the personal, creative expression of another designer. Mere stylistic similarities are permitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conclusie\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Mio\/USM Haller<\/em> is important for the protection of design in Europe. It confirms the low threshold for access to copyright protection, but introduces a new, surgical precision in determining infringement. The era of the \u201cfleeting glance\u201d and the \u201coverall impression\u201d in copyright law is over; the era of detailed analysis of creative elements has arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ictrechtswijzer.be\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Are you dealing with possible counterfeiting of your products, or are you being sued for infringement of design rights? Our attorneys, who specialize in intellectual property and copyright, will analyze your case in light of the latest European case law. Feel free to contact us for strategic advice.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is een gebruiksvoorwerp, zoals een design tafel of een modulair kastensysteem, beschermd door het auteursrecht? En wanneer is er sprake van namaak? Op 4 december 2025 heeft het Hof van Justitie van de EU (HvJ-EU) in de gevoegde zaken Mio en USM Haller duidelijkheid verschaft. De kernboodschap is drievoudig: (1) er gelden g\u00e9\u00e9n strengere eisen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":101708,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,162],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-101704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-auteursrecht","category-modelrecht"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Design en auteursrecht na het Mio-arrest: het einde van de &#039;totaalindruk&#039; in Belgi\u00eb? - ICT Rechtswijzer Advocaat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nieuw HvJ-EU arrest (Mio\/USM Haller): het einde van de &#039;totaalindruk&#039; bij namaak? 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