Designs "very important" says survey, but that's not news to Class 99

"Europeans consider design 'very important' for competitiveness" is the title of the front page feature of the most recent issue of the online Alicante News, released today by OHIM (you can read the issue in all its glory here). According to the article,

A new European Commission consultation on the links between design and innovation [see link below] has shown that the majority of respondents, including companies from outside the design sector [How valuable, or relevant, is their opinion?], consider that design is "very important" for the future competitiveness of the EU economy.

... Since [2003] OHIM has registered just under 400,000 designs on behalf of companies from all over the world.

The RCD has been popular since the start, showing steady annual growth right up until the current global recession. Figures for designs for the year to September show that we have received 53,000 designs, a drop of 11% compared with the same period in 2008 [Is the drop caused by the recession or are other factors also at work, such as greater awareness of unregistered design protection? It would be good to know].

The impact has been greater in some countries than others. In design-conscious Italy, RCDs are down just 7% and overall, there are recent signs that applications are starting to grow again. Design totals are still down in the second and third quarters, but not by as much as in the early part of the year.

The slower speed of recovery of design applications contrasts with the much more rapid return to 2008 levels seen in Community trade marks. CTM applications for the year, helped by strong demand in the second quarter, stand at 58,000 – just 4% down on the previous year [The differential is curious, not least because it can't easily be explained by the post-recession pick-up].

The design consultation received a total of 535 online replies from organisations and individuals. The organisations ranged from national ministries for enterprise and industry to design companies, and a range of large and small European companies.

While overall, more than 91% of respondents gave strong support for the link between design and competitiveness, almost three-quarters of the companies whose main business was outside the design sector also agreed.

When asked to describe why they believed design was so important, many referred to the necessity for Europe to compete on quality and sustainability as opposed to price [Now, why should design be equated with quality?], and the important role of design as a differentiator.

The design of products – goods, services, experiences – was considered an essential driver of technological and non-technological innovation as it increased the probability of market success, shortened time to market [How did it achieve this, one wonders] and potentially cut costs.

In terms of the European-level initiatives desired, the organisations felt “awareness raising and design promotion” was the area where public initiatives in support of design would be most useful (82%). This was followed closely by “design education” (75%) and “design research” (74%). A total of 68% considered that “design support to organisations” was what was needed. Only 1% of organisations considered that public initiatives in support of design were not useful [Is this a sort of public sector self-justification exercise, or what?].

For more details see Results of the public consultation on design".