Trademarks

General Information

• Classification - 11th edition — multiclass filing
• Search - Possible for word and device marks
• Examination - Formality and substantive
• Opposition period - 60 days from publication date
• Extension of time - Not possible for filing oppositions, counter oppositions, and responding to office actions
• Term of protection - 10 years from filing date and renewable for like periods
• Use - Mark vulnerable to cancellation action by interested parties if there is no bona fide use of the mark for a period of 5 consecutive years from registration date

Filing Requirements

• Signed and stamped Power of Attorney.
• List of the goods and/or the services (classes) covered by the application in French.
• In case of claiming priority certified copy of the priority document is required

Renewal

• Power of Attorney, simply signed.
• The number, date and the list of the goods of the trademark registration and the owner and his/her address

Assignment

• Power of Attorney by the assignee simply signed and stamped.
• Deed of Assignment executed by the assignor and assignee together with its French or Arabic translation.

Merger

• Power of Attorney simply signed and stamped.
• Certificate of merger with its French or Arabic translation.

License

• Power of Attorney by the licensee, simply signed and stamped.
• License agreement executed and sealed by both parties together with its French or Arabic translation.

Change of Name or Address

• Recordal of Change of Name -
• Signed and stamped Power of Attorney.
• Certificate proving the change of name or an extract from the Commercial Register translated into French or Arabic.
• Recordal of Change of Address -
• Power of Attorney showing the new address, simply signed and stamped.

Patents

General Information

• Search - May be done by title and patentee name
• Examination - Formality only
• Publication - Patents are published in the Industrial Property Bulletin upon acceptance
• Opposition period - 2 months from publication date
• Annuities - Paid annually on the anniversary of the international filing date and can be paid before grant. A grace period of 6 months is allowed for late payment of annuities with an extra charge
• Term of protection - 20 years from the international filing date
• Exploitation - It is mandatory to exploit the patent after grant within a period of 4 years

Filing Requirements

• Two copies of the specification in English, French or Arabic.
• Two sets of the formal drawings.
• A certified copy of the basic application is required when filing a convention application. The priority document should be submitted within 90 days as of the date of application.
• For PCT applications; the IPRP together with the publication sheet should be submitted.

Assignment

• A simply signed and stamped Power of Attorney by the assignee.
• Deed of assignment executed by the assignor and assignee, together with its French or Arabic translation.

Merger

• Power of attorney simply signed.
• Merger agreement document signed by both parties, with French translation.

License

• Power of Attorney by the licensee simply signed and stamped.
• License agreement executed and sealed by both parties together with its French or Arabic translation.

Change of Name or Address

• Recordal of Change of Name -
• Power of Attorney, simply signed and stamped.
• Certificate proving the change of name or an extract from the Commercial Register translated into French or Arabic.
• Recordal of Change of Address -
• Power of Attorney showing the new address simply signed and stamped.

Industrial designs

General Information

• Term of protection - Options include 5, 10 or 15 years from filing date
• Examination - Formality only
• Application with multiple figures - Acceptable up to 50 views
• Renewal - Allowed for two consecutive periods of 5 years each for the 5 years protection term option, and for a further period of 5 years for the 10 years protection term option

Filing Requirements

• Power of attorney simply signed.
• Certified copy of the priority document if claimed, with French translation.
• Four sets of the design.
• Four copies of the summary description of the design, in French or Arabic language.

Assignment

• Power of attorney signed by the assignee.
• Deed of assignment document signed by the assignor and assignee, with French translation

Merger

• Power of attorney simply signed.
• Merger agreement document signed by both parties, with French translation.

License

• Power of attorney signed by the licensee.
• License agreement document signed by both parties, with French translation.

Change of Name or Address

• Power of attorney reflecting the new name or address simply signed.
• Certified copy of the certificate of incorporation or the extract from the commercial register reflecting the change, with French translation.