Yemen Issues New Patents Resolution

SANAA - Yemeni Minister of Industry and Trade Dr. Yahya Al-Mutawakel issued on October 31, 2010 the Ministerial Resolution No. 271 of 2010 on Patents Procedures.

The six-article Resolution states the following:

Article (1): The patent application shall be presented to the Public Authority of Intellectual Property Rights at the Ministry in accordance with the conditions and procedures provided for in the intellectual property rights law.

Article (2): The patent application shall be subjected to formal examination provided for in the intellectual property rights law.

Article (3): Collection of the official fees determined in the Ministry’s regulations against the provided services, including publication fees and annuities.

Article (4): Approving the Official Gazette (AL-TIJARAH) issued by the General Bureau at the Ministry of Industry and Trade as a mean to publish the patents and inform respective parties accordingly.

Article (5): Issuing the letters patent in the form approved by the Ministry.

Article (6): The substantive examination options of patent applications shall be determined as follows:

1. Approving registration certifications or substantive examination result of the patent application filed at any of Paris Conventions member countries in accordance with the Conventions terms and conditions.

2. Approving the search results obtained from the international patents database or research engines.

3. Official affidavit from any scientific institution specialized in the same field of the patent application.

Article (7): This resolution shall come into force from the date of its issuance, and shall be circulated to all concerned parties to act accordingly.