News

Saudi Arabia – Saudi Public Prosecution approves establishment of IP body

Saudi Arabia’s Public Prosecution has authorized the formation of the Intellectual Property Prosecution, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday. This development aligns with the National Intellectual Property Strategy introduced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which aims to improve judicial services related to intellectual property issues by establishing a more advanced framework. The new organization will handle investigations and legal actions in cases concerning infringements of intellectual property rights specified in the Kingdom’s trademark law, copyright protection law, and laws regarding patents, layout designs of integrated circuits, plant varieties, and industrial designs. It will consist of a team of expert public prosecutors who have undergone specialized training to effectively address violations of intellectual property rights.

Posted on date: 16/02/2024

Qatar: Establishing a Grievance Committee for Patent Appeals Strengthens Patent Law

Ministerial Decision 97 of 2023, which established the Grievance Committee for Patent Appeals, is a significant step in the right direction for Qatar’s intellectual property regime. This proactive measure demonstrates Qatar’s dedication to fostering a strong and open intellectual property ecosystem and is a revolutionary method to settling patent disputes.
It is anticipated that this committee would significantly alter Qatar’s patent laws by establishing a fair and open process for settling disagreements pertaining to patent applications. This article explores the committee’s expanded responsibilities and how they will affect the nation’s patent laws.

Saudi Arabia : SAIP adopts new trademark registration guidelines for ‘Saudi Arabia’ and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

The Board of Directors of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has decided to designate the name “Saudi Arabia” as public property of the state. Consequently, any trademark registration application that includes this name must adhere to newly approved controls.

These controls stipulate that the applicant for trademark registration must be a governmental entity, or a special regulatory entity, or the trademark must be linked to a significant and distinctive real estate or service project. These controls also apply to requests for the transfer of ownership of a trademark registered under these guidelines or any other legal transactions. The rules also apply to applications for any trademark that includes the name “Saudi Arabia,” “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” or any symbol or meaning that refers to the state in Arabic or any other language.

The name “Saudi Arabia” must be a component of the trademark, not its essential element.

The authority’s decision also adopts the names of cities, regions, and public places in Saudi Arabia as state property. Trademark applications containing any of these names must follow specific guidelines: the name of the city, region, or public place should be a component of the trademark, not the primary element. Using these names in a trademark should not cause any confusion about the origin or source of goods or services.

The authority emphasized that registering a trademark under these guidelines does not grant exclusive rights to the owner over a specific name, nor does it allow them to prevent others from using the name.

Posted on date: 30/12/2023