The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which promotes protection of intellectual property worldwide, will soon elect a new Director General. By allowing investors to register and protect their inventions and discoveries in most of the world’s countries simultaneously, WIPO serves a vital function. That role, however, requires extraordinary trust by those registering their intellectual property, who must have faith that WIPO will protect proprietary information under the terms set forth in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and the procedures of the agency.
This article is the first in a series outlining the practical aspects of patent legislation and procedure in Saudi Arabia. In particular, this article sets out the relevant legislation. The following are covered by patent law in Saudi Arabia: inventions, layout designs of integrated circuits, plant varieties and industrial models. The law provides exclusive rights to the registered owner against third parties making, selling, offering to sell and importing infringing materials or products.