Clause 7

An application for registration of a design must not be refused, and the registration of a design must not be revoked, by reason only of any of the following:

a disclosure of the design made to a person other than the designer, or any successor in title of the designer, under conditions of confidentiality (whether express or implied);

a disclosure of the design made by the designer, or any successor in title of the designer, during the period of 12 months immediately before the date of filing of the application for registration of the design;

a disclosure of the design made by a person other than the designer, or any successor in title of the designer, during the period of 12 months immediately before the date of filing of the application for registration of the design, in consequence of information provided, or any other action taken, by the designer or any successor in title of the designer;

a disclosure of the design made during the period of 12 months immediately before the date of filing of the application for registration of the design, as a consequence of an abuse in relation to the designer or any successor in title of the designer.(2) This section only applies to a disclosure mentioned in subsection (1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) that is made on or after the date of commencement of section 7 of the Registered Designs (Amendment) Act 2017.Disclosure of design to be registered in respect of non‑physical product8B. An application for registration of a design in respect of a non‑physical product must not be refused, and the registration pursuant to that application of the design in respect of the non‑physical product must not be revoked, by reason only of a disclosure of the design made before the date of filing of that application, if that application is filed during the period of 12 months immediately after the date of commencement of section 7 of the Registered Designs (Amendment) Act 2017.”.