Article 15

1. Where the application contains a request for deferment of publication pursuant to Article 50 of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002, the holder shall, together with the request or at the latest three months before the 30-month deferment period expires:

(a) pay the publication fee referred to in Article 6(1)(b);

(b) in the case of a multiple registration, pay the additional publication fees, referred to in Article 6(1)(d);

(c) in cases where a representation of the design has been replaced by a specimen in accordance with Article 5, file a representation of the design in accordance with Article 4. This applies to all the designs contained in a multiple application for which publication is requested;

(d) in the case of a multiple registration, clearly indicate which of the designs contained therein is to be published or which of the designs are to be surrendered, or, if the period of deferment has not yet expired, for which designs deferment is to be continued.

Where the holder requests publication before the expiry of the 30-month deferment period, he/she shall, at the latest three months before the requested date of publication, comply with the requirements set out in points (a) to (d) of the first paragraph.

2. If the holder fails to comply with the requirements set out in paragraph 1(c) or (d), the Office shall call upon him/her to remedy the deficiencies within a specified time limit which shall in no case expire after the 30-month deferment period.

3. If the holder fails to remedy the deficiencies referred to in paragraph 2 within the applicable time limit:

(a) the registered Community design shall be deemed from the outset not to have had the effects specified in Regulation (EC) No 6/2002;

(b) where the holder has requested earlier publication as provided for under the second subparagraph of paragraph 1, the request shall be deemed not to have been filed.

4. If the holder fails to pay the fees referred to in paragraph 1(a) or (b), the Office shall call upon him/her to pay those fees together with the fees for late payment provided for in Article 107(2)(b) or (d) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 and as set out in Regulation (EC) No 2246/2002, within a specified time limit which shall in no case expire after the 30-month deferment period.

If no payment has been made within that time limit, the Office shall notify the holder that the registered Community design has from the outset not had the effects specified in Regulation (EC) No 6/2002.

If, in respect of a multiple registration, a payment is made within that time limit but is insufficient to cover all the fees payable pursuant to paragraph 1(a) and (b), as well as the applicable fee for late payment, all the designs in respect of which the fees have not been paid shall be deemed from the outset not to have had the effects specified in Regulation (EC) No 6/2002.

Unless it is clear which designs the amount paid is intended to cover, and in the absence of other criteria for determining which designs are intended to be covered, the Office shall take the designs in the numerical order in which they are represented in accordance with Article 2(4).

All designs for which the additional publication fee has not been paid or has not been paid in full, together with the applicable fee for late payment, shall be deemed from the outset not to have had the effects specified in Regulation (EC) No 6/2002.