International protection
A common misconception is the belief that as long as you have registered your trademark or design in a single territory (such as the UK) then this will provide sufficient protection for your trademark or design in other countries around the world. This is certainly not the case. If your business is reaching out to a global market or if you have plans to extend your market into new territories then you will also need to protect your trademarks and designs in those areas. If you leave it too late you risk losing the right to use your trademark or designs in those territories: either because a third party has already registered the same mark (or a confusingly similar mark) in a particular country or, in the case of design rights, you may be time barred from registering your design if you fail to file an application soon enough after the date of your first territorial registration.
For more detail on the options available for international protection of your Trademarks click on: International Trademark Protection
For more detail on the options available for international protection of your Designs click on: International Design Protection