Albania is First to Join WIPO’s Riyadh Design Law Treaty

Geneva, March 13, 2026
PR/2026/948

Albania today became the first member state to join WIPO’s Riyadh Design Law Treaty (RDLT), depositing its instrument of ratification with Director General Daren Tang and marking a major milestone in bringing into force the new international framework for design protection.

WIPO member states adopted the RDLT by consensus on November 22, 2024, in Riyadh at the conclusion of a diplomatic conference hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Riyadh Design Law Treaty will streamline and harmonize administrative procedures related to the protection of designs, which determine the look and feel of products ranging from fashion to furniture to packaging and increase a product’s competitive advantage and market value.

The Treaty will enter into force three months after 15 eligible parties join by depositing their instruments of ratification or accession with the WIPO Director General. 

Mr. Tang welcomed Albania’s ratification: “Albania has made history as the first country to join the Riyadh Design Law Treaty. By simplifying and streamlining design protection procedures across borders, the Treaty will make it easier, faster and more affordable for designers and businesses to protect their designs and bring them to markets around the world. I encourage other member states to join the Treaty so that it can begin delivering its benefits to designers – many of whom are individuals or smaller enterprises – and support them in using color, form and shape to delight our senses, enrich our lives and transform our culture.”

Recent data underline the growing worldwide economic importance of design: In 2024, about 6.1 million design registrations were active worldwide, twice the level from a decade earlier.

According to the WIPO World Intangible Investment Highlights 2025 report, investment in design across 25 high-income economies and India and Brazil exceeded US$800 billion in 2024, accounting for close to 10 percent of total investment in intangible assets. Notably, since the beginning of 2000, investment in design across advanced economies has been growing nearly two times as fast as investment in tangible assets, such as machinery, buildings and equipment.

According to a recently published study by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the European Patent Office, between 2021 and 2023, design-intensive industries stood for 13.1% of overall employment in the European Union, or about 28 million jobs, and for 16.1% (or €2.5 trillion) of total EU GDP.

When it has entered into force, the Treaty will help designers and businesses secure protection for their designs both domestically and internationally by simplifying application requirements and introducing more predictable processes across jurisdictions. The Treaty also foresees the availability of technical assistance and capacity building for the implementation of the Treaty to any state or intergovernmental organization requesting it.

More about the RDLT