The Hague Agreement has provided international protection for industrial designs since 1925. The latest of several revisions, agreed upon at Geneva in 1999, is operational as of April 1, 2004, under the administration of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The global protection of industrial designs, accommodating all forms of national protection systems, will be based on this treaty. This in-depth analysis by William T. Fryer, III, a well-known Professor of Law and patent attorney who participated [and participant] in the meetings and diplomatic conference that led up to the 1999 Act (as well as in subsequent user meetings), is unlikely to be superseded. It presents a detailed drafting history and expert analysis, as well as incomparable strategic guidance for attorneys, businesses, and governments in the implementation of the Act's provisions. Readers can expect all of the following and more: an overall understanding of how the 1999 Act operates to amend and update the Hague Agreement;

• expert analysis of the Act's key features;
• detailed exploration of the Act's drafting history;
• strategic insights into using the Act's provisions to protect industrial designs;
• guidance for governments considering adherence to the Act; and
• a source book for the main treaty documents.