RIYADH – The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has announced the designation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) – ISA/IPEA – under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). This development permits applicants in Saudi Arabia to select the USPTO to conduct international searches for their PCT patent applications.
This step reflects the growing collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the United States in the area of intellectual property (IP) as it aims to improve and mainstream IP services to support business development in both countries.
Thus, the USPTO becomes the 7th ISA designated by SAIP, which includes the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), the Egyptian Patent Office (EGPO), the Russian Federal Administration of Intellectual Property (ROSPATENT), and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO).
For more information, please contact saudi-arabia@qumsieh.com.