DesignEuropa Awards 2027: call for entries now open

• The awards recognize outstanding designs, their creators, and the companies behind them
• Participation is free of charge and open to applicants with registered EU designs
• For the first time, an International Award will recognize design excellence beyond the European Union
• The awards ceremony will take place in Prague in September 2027.

Applications and nominations are now open for the DesignEuropa Awards 2027, the European Union’s flagship awards for design.

Organized by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the awards recognize outstanding designs that are protected as EU designs, as well as the designers and companies bringing them to market.

The deadline for submissions is February 14, 2027, with the winners to be announced in Prague in September 2027.

A new International Award

The 2027 edition introduces a new International Award, which recognizes outstanding designs by companies and designers based outside the European Union whose creations are protected as registered EU designs. The new category reflects the international dimension of the EU design system and highlights the importance of design as a driver of innovation and competitiveness worldwide.

The Executive Director of the EUIPO, João Negrão, said: “Design is at the heart of innovation and competitiveness. It gives ideas a tangible form, helps businesses stand out, and drives the choices we make as consumers. By protecting their designs, companies can turn creativity into a lasting asset. With the new International Award, we are extending the reach of the DesignEuropa Awards and recognizing that great design knows no borders; it has the power to help businesses innovate, compete, and succeed on a global scale.”

Award categories

The DesignEuropa Awards feature five categories open for applications and nominations:

• Entrepreneurs and Small Companies Award: recognizing newly established, small companies, start-ups, or independent designers making a significant mark in their fields.
• Industry Award: recognizing impactful designs from large and medium-sized companies across different sectors.
• Next Generation Design Award: celebrating young designers up to 29 years of age who bring fresh ideas and innovative approaches to design.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: honoring designers whose careers have made a significant contribution to the world of design.
• International Award: recognizing outstanding designs from designers or companies based outside the EU.

An independent, professional jury will assess the applications and nominations based on design merit, usability, market impact, social and environmental considerations, and the innovative use of the EU design system.

In addition, a Public Choice Award will give the public the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist design ahead of the award ceremony.

The 2026 edition attracted a record pool of over 1,600 entries and recognized renowned French designer Philippe Starck with the Lifetime Achievement Award, alongside other outstanding projects and creators.

About the DesignEuropa Awards

The DesignEuropa Awards recognize creativity in design, as well as influential figures in the field. Now in their 8th edition, the awards are a non-commercial competition, free of charge, and open to applicants whose designs meet the rules of participation and own a valid European Union design. The EUIPO currently receives close to 120,000 designs per year.

Organized in a different EU city every year, the DesignEuropa Awards 2027 will be presented in Prague in close collaboration with the Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic.

Apply or nominate for the DesignEuropa Awards 2027!

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