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The Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union
C.f. Communication No 05/03 of the President of the Office of 16 October 2003 concerning the enlargement of the European Union in 2004
10.1. What difference will enlargement make?
The future enlargement of the European Union will mean that the geographical area of Community design protection will be even greater with new countries joining the European Union within a few years.
From 1 May 2004, the date of accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, and from 1 January 2007, the date of accession of Bulgaria and Romania, Community designs protected or applied for pursuant to the CDR before the date of accession have been extended to the territory of those Member States in order to have equal effects throughout the Community.
In other words, any RCD registered or applied for before the accession of new countries was automatically extended to the new enlarged territory of the EU, without any need to make an application or pay fees.
The accession of Croatia is foreseen for 1 July 2013. There is no date of accession for other candidate countries, such as Turkey or Iceland. For further information, please visit the enlargement section of the European Commision website