Iraq: copy of the priority document must be filed together with the patent application at the time of filing
Saturday, 17 November 2012
In accordance with the decision No. 11895 dated 31 October 2012 made by the Director of the Iraqi Patent Office, a scanned copy of the priority document needs to be filed along with the patent application or undertake to submit the said document within one week from the filing date; otherwise, priority right will lapse accordingly.
The publication in the Official Gazette (Um Al Qura) is no longer requested in Saudi Arabia
Saturday, 3 November 2012
By pursuant of the Ministerial Decree No. 1147 dated 16 October 2012 the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) provides for publication of different request and applications concerning trademark in the Ministry of Commerce website instead of the Official Gazette "Umm Al Qura".
The Decree amended several Articles in the Implementing Regulations of Trademark Law including the provisions organize publication of accepted applications, renewal applications; assignment applications; license applications, cancellation requests of mortgage and license and Administrative and Court cancellation decisions of trademark registrations.
The decision allows publication of the above requests in the website of ministry of commerce and industry (MOCI) or any other place determined by MOCI.
The decision became effective upon on its publication in the Official Gazette.
New Provisions of Domain Names Registration in Oman
Monday, 8 October 2012
Syrian Ministry of Economy & Trade name has been changed to be Ministry of Interior Trade and Consumer Protection
Saturday, 17 November 2012
The Syrian Ministry of Economy & Trade name has been changed to be Ministry of Interior Trade and Consumer Protection.
Accordingly, the new ministry name will be reflected in all new registration certificates and/or official documents and notifications in respect of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Models, Patents, Utility model and Layout Design of Integrated Circuits which will be issued by the Industrial and Commercial Property Protection Directorate.
Further, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that the new Director of Commercial & Industrial Property Protection is Mr. Sahfeeq Azzab.
The Centre for Protection of Intellectual Property Rights at the Ministry of Justice in Qatar has announced first national patent
Sunday, 12 August 2012
The Centre for Protection of Intellectual Property Rights at the Ministry of Justice in Qatar has announced receiving the first national patent application under the PCT scheme.
The applications will be sent to the GCC (Regional) Patent Office for substantive examination, as indicated by the release on the official website of the Ministry.
The filing requirements are as follows:
1. The complete specification of the invention including abstract, claims and drawings in English and Arabic, as well as a CD including the same.
2. A copy of inventor(s), passport or ID.
3. Completing the application forms.
4. An undertaking from applicant to pay the prescribed fees later on.
New Trademark Circular in Sudan
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
The Registrar of Trademarks in Sudan has issued Trademark Circular No. 1 for 2012 addressed to Trademark Agents and Owners of Trademarks to observe the following conditions for the purpose of organization of work and procedures:
The filing requirements are as follows:
1. If the Registrar of the opinion that the filed application is incomplete, he will request the applicant to complete or correct the application within one month, otherwise the application will be considered abandoned.
2. After expiry of opposition term (maximum 8 months), the applicant must complete registration procedure and issuance of registration certificate within 2 months, otherwise the application will be considered abandoned.
3. Application for renewal of a trademark registration should be filed within six months before expiry of registration term with a grace period of six months after expiry date for late renewal with penalty. The Registrar has allowed a six months from 8 July 2012 for renewal of trademarks that have already expired and not renewed on time, otherwise the registrations will be considered lapsed.
4. The Power of Attorney stamped by the corporate seal of the company and notarized by Notary Public will be acceptable without legalization up to the Sudanese Consulate. However, the Extract from the Commercial Register and the Certificate of Incorporation are still required to be legalized up to the Sudanese Consulate.
The Registrar further issued internal circular to the staff of the Trademark Office to receive applications only when the notarized Power of Attorney and the legalized Certificate of Incorporation are submitted along with the application.
Syria: Issuance of Law No. 18/2012 in respect of Patents, Utility Model, Layout Design of Integrated Circuits and Undisclosed Information
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Issuance of Law No. 18/2012 in respect of Patents, Utility Model, LayoutDesign of Integrated Circuits and Undisclosed Information
A new law for Patents, Utility Model, Layout Design of Integrated Circuits and Undisclosed Information has been issued in Syria. The new law will come into force on 1st June 2012.
The most important features of the law are as follows:
1. Utility Models and Layout Design of Integrated Circuits have been added to the new law.
2. A patent application should not incorporate more than one invention. However, a group of inventions having the same inventive concept will be considered as one application.
3. If a patent application incorporating more than 10 claims, additional fees will be paid on each additional claim.
4. Decisions of the Patent Office are appealable before the Competent Committee within 30 days of the date of notification of applicant of the decision.
5. The term of a patent is twenty years calculated as of filing date.
6. A patent application could be amended within three months as of the filing date, provided that the amendment does not exceed what has been disclosed in the original application.
7. Oppositions can be filed within six months as from the date of publication of the application in the Intellectual Property Protection Gazette and applicant should be notified of opposition within thirty days as of date of receipt of opposition by the Patent Office, applicant or his agent should reply to the opposition within 30 days of date of notification of opposition, otherwise application will be considered abandoned.
8. Annuity fees are payable as of the second year following the filing date of application. In case patent has not been granted within two years as of filing date, applicant has the right to abstain from payment of the said fees until issuance of a decision of grant, after which he could pay accumulated fees.
The Palestinian Trademark Office of West Bank has introduced publication procedure for trademarks
Monday, 26 March 2012
The Palestinian Trademark Office of West Bank has introduced publication procedure for trademarks that are due for renewals. Accordingly, renewal applications will not be accepted unless accompanied by the prescribed publication fees. Activation of this procedure has initially resulted in an increase in the official fees.
Saudi Trademark Office Online Services
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Saudi Trademark Office has recently launched an online service through the Ministry of Commerce official website.
Now interested parties can easily check the status of Saudi trademark applications by simply inserting the filing number in the designated field.
Bahrain Joins Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Bahrain has issued on 6 February 2012 Law No. 4/2012 regarding approval of Accession of Bahrain to the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the purposes of patent procedure.
The law has been published in the Official Gazette Volume No. 3038 dated 9 February 2012, and is effective as of the day following the date of its publication.
The United Arab Emirates Trademark Office
Sunday, 5 February 2012
In a concern to be in line with the recent decision of the WIPO, The United Arab Emirates Trademark Office officially adopted the 10thedition of Nice classification starting from the 1.1.2012. The 10thedition comes with changes mainly in classes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 28, 29 and 30 in which there have been new inclusions and transfers of goods from one class to the other.
It worth mentioning that the 10th edition has been till now adopted by some Middle-Eastern and North African countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Egypt.
Oman Joins Hague Convention Abolishing the requirements of Legalization of Foreign Public Documents
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Oman Joins Hague Convention Abolishing the requirements of Legalization of Foreign Public Documents.
The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a notification declaring accession of Oman to the Hague Convention abolishing the requirements of legalization of foreign public documents by virtue of Sultanate Decree No. 47/2009. The Convention will enter into force in Oman as of 30 January 2012.
As a consequence of accession of the convention, the following procedures will be adopted:
First: With regard to documents coming from outside Oman from a member state in the convention, and sealed with Apostille seal, there is no need for further legalization of these document from the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its Consulates abroad, and the Consulates of States accredited in Oman. The concerned authority has to acknowledge, the documents immediately after verifying the authenticity of the seal and signature of the relevant State.
In case of suspecting the seal of any member state of the convention, the relevant authority in that state which caused the seal to be made, whether that authority be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on any other authority entrusted with authentication of documents has to be contacted, according to the available means of communication.
Second: the documents issued by the relevant authorities in Oman, and intended to be used outside Oman, will be authenticated by the Authentication Bureau in Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after verifying the authenticity of the seal and signature of the relevant Oman authority which issued the said document.
The authentication fees will be charged in the manner previously adopted in addition to authentication with the International (Apostille seal) referred to above for which the cost is 10 Omani Riyal for each document.
The documents authenticated with such seal need no further legalization neither from the Consulates of the State accredited in Oman, or the Consulates of Oman abroad, not from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State in which the said document is intended to be used.
