ARTICLE
28 August 2013

Gulf Opens Up

D
Dehns

Contributor

Founded in 1920, Dehns is one of Europe’s largest full service intellectual property firms, with offices in London, Munich, Oslo, Oxford, Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and Birmingham.

In addition to obtaining patent, trade mark and design protection around the world, our services also extend to IP management consulting and dispute resolution. Dehns attorneys have expertise in a wide range of technologies across the engineering, chemistry and biotechnology sectors.

Our clients include private inventors, universities and research institutions, start-ups and SMEs as well as large multinational corporations. We are firmly focussed on delivering clear advice and valuable results at a competitive cost.

Dehns’ straightforward, business-oriented approach combined with technical excellence has made us leaders in our field and we are proud of our top tier rankings.

The number of territories now signed up to the Patent Cooperation Treaty increased earlier in August with Saudi Arabia joining the club.
Saudi Arabia Intellectual Property

The number of territories now signed up to the Patent Cooperation Treaty increased earlier in August with Saudi Arabia joining the club.  This brings the number of countries within the PCT up to 148. 

Saudi Arabia has long been one of the more expensive countries in which to obtain any patent protection, not least because of the translation cost.  Many applicants have to date used the umbrella of the Gulf Cooperation Treaty (GCC) to obtain protection within Saudi Arabia but whilst a GCC patent might be granted, the detail as to how such a patent might be enforced in Saudi Arabia is far from clear.  In addition, the GCC is not within the PCT system and having to decide whether or not to file there within a year of the priority filing has frequently deterred possible patentees. 

The ability now to designate Saudi Arabia itself as a possible country in a PCT application and to have the additional 18 months breathing space in which to decide whether or not to enter the national phase may well result in a greater number of patent applications actually being filed.  Either way, the choice within the Gulf has been improved and your Dehns advisor can assist in making it.

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