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.

This new role enables SAIP to offer its services to applicants from around the world, further enhancing international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s intellectual property system. By providing advanced services locally, SAIP also simplifies procedures for Saudi inventors and innovators, fostering innovation and supporting intellectual property rights protection.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s journey towards leadership in intellectual property. It underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting innovation and protecting inventors’ rights, which aligns with its developmental aspirations.

For more information, please contact saudi-arabia@qumsieh.com.

Under the new guidelines, the patent annuities have to be paid in accordance with their due dates regardless of whether a decision on the application has been issued.

For more information, please contact qatar@qumsieh.com.

PAYMENT OF ANNUITIES
Last month, the Department announced that applicants can choose not to pay the annuity fees after the third year (from the date of filing or from the international filing date if the application is a PCT-national phase application) if the patent application is still pending. Once the Patent Office issues a grant decision, the applicant must pay all overdue annuities along with the grant fees, while the remaining subsequent annuities can be paid on their respective due dates.

The new announcement confirms that the Department will not accept further annuity payments after the third year if the application is still under consideration.

PATENT FEES
The Department has announced the implementation of Ministerial Decision No. 60 for 2024, which reduces the official fees for certain services provided by the Ministry. The reduction affects services related to businesses and intellectual property rights, including patents and industrial designs.

The new rates went into force on 11 July 2024.

For more information, please contact qatar@qumsieh.com.

PoAs and other required documents no longer need to be legalised by the Consulate of the UAE, i.e., notarization of the same will suffice.

A stamp of a UAE public entity (e.g. government organisations, national universities) is now regarded as equivalent to notarization.

In addition, if the inventor is an employee of a UAE company, it is possible to submit a certificate of employment or a copy of the employment contract instead of the deed of assignment.

For more information, please contact uae@qumsieh.com.

Under the pilot programme, applicants whose claims have been examined by SAIP or the EPO may request accelerated processing of their corresponding patent application.

The two offices will share existing work results and data, enabling the offices to make use of each other’s work. This should lead to reduced efforts, increased efficiency, and reduced costs for users.

For more information, please contact saudi-arabia@qumsieh.com.

The treaty will enter into force on 30 April 2022, making Iraq the 155th member of the PCT union.

Therefore, any PCT applications filed on or after the effective date will include the designation of Iraq. Likewise, it will be possible to file international patent applications through the Iraqi Patent Office.

For more information, please contact iraq@qumsieh.com.

Applicants or their agents can file new patent and industrial design applications and annuity recordals through the new portal.

The new portal will publish accepted applications and include details on granted applications as well.

For more information, please contact kuwait@qumsieh.com.

Patent protection in those countries, however, can be sought via the provisions of the Paris Convention or via PCT at the national patent offices.

The GCCPO will continue to process pending applications and receiving annuity payments, but will not accept new GCC patent applications.

For more information, please contact info@qumsieh.com.

In case the applicant fails to do so, a grace period of three (3) months is given with a penalty equal to double the original prescribed fees.

Please send your patent annuity instructions to info@qumsieh.com.