The Royal Decree No. M/27 dated 29/5/1425 H corresponding to July 17, 2004 approved Council of Ministers decision No. 159 dated 17/5/1425 H corresponding to July 5, 2004, which stipulates on the issuance of new Patents, Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties and Industrial Designs Law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
The new Law, which provides full protection for patents, layout designs of integrated circuits, plant varieties and industrial designs in KSA, was published in the Official Gazette No. 4004, dated August 6, 2004 and entered into force September 6, 2004.
According to Article (19), protection period for patents shall be 20 years from the date of filing the application, while the design certificate protection period shall be 10 years from the date of filing the application. The industrial model certificate protection shall be 10 years as well.
As for plant patent protection period, it shall be 20 years from the date of filing the application. However, protection period for trees shall be 25 years.
Claiming priority is possible according to the new Law. Priority period for patents and plant varieties shall be 12 months, while priority period for industrial models shall be 6 months.
Infringement of rights prescribed by the Law is punishable according to Article 34. Penalties include fines and/or imprisonment.
The President of King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) shall issue the Implementing Regulations for this Law within 180 days from the date of its coming into effect.
It is noteworthy that the aforementioned Law shall replace the Patent Law issued by the Royal Decree No. (M/38) of 1989