Exploring the Challenges of Intellectual Property Rights in the Era of 3D Printing: A Comparative Legal Perspective from Iran and the European Union

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is revolutionizing the realm of production by empowering consumers and small businesses to fabricate complex objects from digital designs. However, this technology blurs the boundaries between digital files and physical products, introducing novel challenges for intellectual property (IP) law. This article investigates how Iran and the European Union (EU) are responding to the intellectual property issues emerging from 3D printing, focusing on copyright, patent law, industrial designs, trademark rights, as well as enforcement mechanisms and liability regimes. In the EU, IP protection is governed by detailed directives and regulations—such as the Copyright Directive 2001/29/EC, the Community Design Regulation 6/2002, the Trademark Regulation 207/2009, and the Enforcement Directive 2004/48—and is committed to international treaties including TRIPS and the Berne Convention. In contrast, Iran’s IP framework is based on older legal statutes, notably the Law for the Protection of Authors, Composers, and Artists (1969) and the Law on Registration of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks (2007), and is subject to limited international obligations. Iran is a member of the Paris Convention and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), but not of the Berne Convention, the WIPO Copyright Treaty, or TRIPS. Key differences emerge: for example, EU law generally does not consider the private and non-commercial reproduction of IP-protected objects as an infringement, whereas Iranian law explicitly excludes inventions “contrary to Islamic principles, public order, or morality” from patentability, and likewise restricts trademarks that violate Islamic norms. Drawing on case studies, academic analyses, and official sources (e.g., WIPO, European Commission), we identify the legal gaps in each system and propose reforms. Our comparative analysis underscores the need for legal updates and international cooperation to enable IP law to accommodate the paradigm of digital manufacturing in both jurisdictions.