In 2010, Erdi Holland—specialists in traffic safety products—developed a flexible road sign attachment and registered the design as an EU model. However, the only submission was a solid black square, lacking clear technical drawings or detailed photos. Years later, when Erdi Holland sought to enforce their exclusive rights against a competitor, the court considered only the submitted documentation, not the real product. Because the visuals didn’t show the key innovative features, the claim was dismissed. The lesson for every business: work with professionals to ensure registration visuals clearly define what you want to protect. Only then can the full scope of design law be leveraged.
