An application for registration of a design must be introduced in the country (or countries) for which protection is sought. The design can be protected on National, Community or International levels, thus:

• National
  Design protection is a matter of national legislation. There is one exception: the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) have unique legislation – the Benelux Convention in Intellectual Proprty – concerning designs. Therefore an application cannot be limited to just one of the three countries.
• European Union
  Protection conferred by the Community design (registered or not) covers the whole of the European Union (currently 27 countries).
• International (The Hague Arrangement)
  Under The Hague Arrangement, the principal advantage is the ability to choose protection in several countries with one single application.