New Patent By-Law: One More Step Towards the WTO

 The Consultative Council the KSA is debating the merits of the new Patent By-law. The new By-Law is in harmony with the international standards of IP rights and Saudi Arabia’s efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).
 
 The new patent By-law contains new additional aspects covering industrial designs and models, plant varieties and layout designs of integrated circuits. The latter two are of significance as will be made clear below.
 
 The Law of New Varieties of Plants would protect the patent rights of plants that are distinct from any other commonly known variety at the time of filing the application. The term of protection for the patent of plant varieties is 20 years, while it is 25 years and for trees and vines, calculated from the day of filing the application.
 
 Another aspect of the new By-Law covers the layout designs of integrated circuits. Those include any three dimensional disposition prepared for an integrated circuit and all or some of the inter-connections. This is provided that at least one of which is an active element. The owner of the design has the right to file a lawsuit against a person who infringes upon his design.
 
 The General Directorate of Patents in King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), who prepared the new By-Law, has received 10 thousand applications since the inception of this By-law, executed 2000, granted 80 patents and rejected 2000 patent application without granting them any letters-patent.