SANA'A - Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) would like to advise its clients that the Trademark Office in Yemen is strictly applying the three-month period (with payment of a lateness fine) in which applicants can renew their due trademark applications.
During the last six months, the former Trademark Registrar was accepting renewal applications filed within a year from the expiry date.
AGIP would like to alert its clients that this procedure is not acceptable anymore.
A trademark registration is valid for ten years in Yemen; consequently, a renewal application can be filed within the last year of its validity. However, if the legal term has passed, it may be possible to renew the mark during the three-month period from the expiry date.
As per Article 99 of the Intellectual Property Law No. 19 of 1994, the competent party shall notify the holder of the registration certificate in writing, within two months as from the expiry date of the period to renew the registration. If three months elapse after the expiry of the period without renewal, the competent party shall automatically cancel the registration.