Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property | The 2022 Year in Review

The 2022 Year in Review

30-Dec-2022

Roundup and Highlights.

A comprehensive summary of the most notable IP updates and developments over the last year.

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TRADEMARKS

Country	Updates
Libya	New guidelines for trademark registration were released to regulate affairs related to trademark registration and protection.
UAE	The Trademark Office started accepting new trademark applications with an undertaking or a scanned copy of the signed Power of Attorney. Earlier, the original POA had to be filed along with the application form only.
Gaza	Adoption of the 11th Edition of Nice Classification.
West Bank	New POA revoked all prior authorizations.

DESIGNS

Country	Updates
Gaza	Adoption of the 10th Edition of Locarno Classification.
Morocco	Ratification of the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.

PATENTS

Country	Updates
Egypt	The Patent Office launched its electronic patent services and began receiving and processing patent applications in electronic form as of January 1, 2022
Iraq	The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) entered into force in Iraq on January 31, 2022.
UAE	Documents legalization is no longer required for patent and design registration
GCC	Direct filing of patent applications with the GCC Patent Office as receiving office, instead of filing with the competent national office.
KSA	The EPO and KSA launched their joint Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program.

COPYRIGHTS

Country	Updates
KSA	KSAThe registration of written works, including computer software and applications, architectural, technical and applied artistic works, photographic and graphic works, and 3D topographic works became possible in KSA.

DOMAIN NAMES

Country	Updates
Cyprus	New practice concerning the period of domain name registration, where all new domain name registrations are valid for either 1 or 2 calendar years.
Oman	New regulations for .OM domain registration.
Qatar	New requirements for registration and renewal of the commercial domain name (.com.qa).
Kuwait	New requirements for the registration and renewal of third-level domains under .COM.KW.

LAWS & REGULATIONS

Country	Updates
Kenya	Deadline for commencement of the implementation of recordation of IP rights has been extended to January 1, 2023.
Qatar	The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) announced that the Investment and Trade Court has officially started its work in accordance with Law No. 21 of 2021 regarding the establishment of the Investment and Trade Court.
Syria	Documents legalization is only accepted through the Syrian embassies abroad, while the documents legalized by the chambers of commerce are not accepted anymore.
Libya	Anti-cybercrime Law No. 5 of 2022 was enacted.
UAE	New patent law took effect.
Vietnam	New amendments to Vietnam’s IP Law covered trademark, patent, design and copyright.

FEES

Country	Updates
Afghanistan	The official fees for trademarks, patents, utility models and designs have been increased at an average rate of 100% for each fee.
Turkey	Increase in the official fees of IP filings starting from January 1, 2022, at an average rate of 35% for each fee.
Yemen	Increase in official publication fees for IP matters as of March 1, 2022.
KSA	Reduction in the official fees for the publication of trademarks, as of June 9, 2022.

OTHER IP ISSUES

Country	Updates
KSA	Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (1961 Apostille Convention) entered into force in Saudi Arabia.
Egypt	New Intellectual Property Authority to be launched, to supervise and develop the IP in different sectors.
Kuwait	New requirements for trade name registration in Arabic, where it became possible to register a trade name in both Arabic and Latin characters.

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The 2022 Year in Review

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