The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw in its judgment of 15 December 2009 case file VIII SA/Wa 332/09 ruled that he “informed user” is a person who continues to use a product and therefore has some knowledge about its design. It is not a professional. This may be a very attentive consumer who knows what is he or she looking for and who draws attention to all visible elements of the product. The infromed user who uses cartridges for a roller blind, is certainly not an average user or an average purchaser of such product. While assessing the individual character of a cartridge for a roller blind, the scope of creative freedom should be assesed, taking into account the nature of the product and its utilitarian functions, and then, by establishing the characteristics of an “informed user”, the evaluation of a products and the differences should be performed through such prizm, bearing in mind that the “informed user” is one who knows that there are different types of cartridges and who examine them carefully. This judgment is not yet final. The parties may file a cassation complaint to the Supreme Administrative Court.

This judgment concerned the industrial design “Kaseta do rolet” (in English: cartridge for a roller blind), Rp-8019. See also “Polish regulations on industrial designs” and “Polish case law on industrial designs“.

Categories: appearance of the whole or a part of a product | Art. 102 IPL | Art. 104 IPL | industrial designs | informed user | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish courts | Polish law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.