43Such an interpretation is supported by the broad logic of Directive 98/71 and by the objective pursued by Article 3(3) of that directive. Indeed, the protection of designs under that directive applies only to the characteristics which determine the appearance of the whole or part of a product. A visible component part necessarily contributes to the appearance of the complex product (see, by analogy, judgment of 20 December 2017, Acacia and D’Amato, C‑397/16 and C‑435/16, EU:C:2017:992, paragraph 73).
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