Tuesday 19 May 2015

Yemen - Judicial holiday

News today, from good friends SMAS, that the Courts are now on vacation until mid-July 2015, presumably re-opening after Eid Al Fitr. Only urgent cases are dealt with in the holiday.

Monday 18 May 2015

UAE - Ministry of Economy fee increases with copies of the documents

Further to the earlier posts here, here, and here on the fee increases in the UAE following Cabinet Decree No. 9 of 2015, this part of the Empty Quarter has received a notification dated 13 May 2015 from the Administration of Industrial Property in the Ministry of Economy confirming that the Decree will come into effect on Saturday 30 May 2015 and attaching Financial Circular No. (15) of 2015 signed by the Under Secretary of Economic Affairs to that effect. Also attached is an official English translation of the Decree.

Copies of the various documents can be found here:

Monday 11 May 2015

UAE - WCO and FCA organise an event on 20 May 2015

News from the Federal Customs Authority of an event organised in conjunction with the World Customs Organisation to take place at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai on 20 May 2015.

Day 1
Keynote Speech: FCA
First Session: UAE and IPR Legislation: Ministry of Economy, Federal Customs Authority, World Customs Organisation, Institute of Training and Judicial Studies
Second Session: Laws and Practices Regarding the Disposition of IPR Infringing Goods: TRIPS Agreement and UAE Law, Pharmaceutical Concerns Regarding Disposal of IPR Goods, International Customs Experience in IPR Goods Disposal
Third Session: Cooperation Between Customs and Private Sector in dealing with IPR: Dubai Customs,
Customs Experience Dealing with Private Sectors
Fourth Session: IPM Mobile: IPM Mobile, UAE Experience in IPM Mobile, Private Sector Experience in IPM
Fifth Session: Common and Specific IPR Issues: Electronics (MMF), Pharmaceutical (Pfizer), Automotive (Harley Davidson), Luxury Goods (Comité Colbert)

Day 2
First Session: Risk Management: WCO Approach on Risk Management; IPM Mobile Training;
Second Session: Tools to Target IPR Fraud—Private Sector Examples: Apple, Richemont, LV, Harley Davidson, Nike, Burberry, NestlĂ©, Pfizer, Bic.

This part of the Empty Quarter has attended many such events and hopes, as always, that there will be as much action as there is discussion. The sessions which catches the eye is the second session on day 1 on destruction. Many detained shipments of counterfeit product are alleged to have been exported rather than seized and destroyed in the UAE. This part of the Empty Quarter expects this session to be interesting.

UAE - Trade Mark Office - announcements on fees and oppositions

Two announcements from the Trade Mark Office yesterday.

Further to the earlier post here reporting the sprint to complete all oppositions, the Trade Mark Office yesterday sent a request to all agents asking for a list of all pending opposed marks so they can complete the pending oppositions as soon as possible.

Further to the earlier posts here, and here, the Trade Mark Office has issued Administrative Circular 1 of 2015 confirming that the fees will be increased to those set out in Cabinet Decree 9 of 2015 with effect from 30 May 2015.

Saturday 2 May 2015

Morocco - many changes to IP regime

Many reports of the many changes to the IP regime in Morocco. Useful summaries from February 2015 from many good friends: Spoor & Fisher here, H&H IP here, AGIP here; and Saba & Co. here.

South Sudan - an update on not much happening

News from good friends Spoor & Fisher in February 2015 here of what is, or is not, happening in South Sudan. For those who cant click through they say:

"South Sudan

South Sudan gained full independence from Sudan in 9 July 2011, which means that Sudanese trade mark registrations no longer have any effect in South Sudan. Unfortunately South Sudan has not passed its own trade mark legislation either which means, quite simply, that there is no trade mark law. Notwithstanding this, the Business Registry of South Sudan is accepting and processing trade mark applications, and it is being guided by the Sudan Trade Marks Act of 1969.

So what effect do these applications have? Although they have no official effect, the general feeling is that they will be recognised in the sense that a certificate issued under this system will be cited against a later application, and may possibly even be recognised in litigation. The received wisdom also is that any trade mark legislation that is eventually passed will ratify and recognise registrations that were granted under the informal system, and that they will run for ten years from the filing date. It is therefore worthwhile filing in South Sudan.

The filing process under the informal system is quite particular. Only single-class applications may be filed; it is necessary to submit a notarised Power of Attorney and a notarised Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register; and it is also necessary to submit a representation of the mark and a picture or photo showing how the mark is to be applied to the goods claimed. In cases where the application covers beverages for human consumption, the picture requirement is replaced by one requiring real samples of the container containing the beverage and showing the trade mark to be submitted – this is apparently so that it can be tested for public health reasons.

At this stage there are no corresponding arrangements for patents, designs or other IP rights in South Sudan."

Libya - brief update on what is happening

Further to the earlier post here of news (from February 2015) from good friends Spoor & Fisher here is a very brief update from them. For those who cannot link through they say:
"Libya

Although the Patents Office and the Trade Marks Office both survived the war – with the Patents Office resuming normal operations in 2012 and the Trade Marks Office doing so in 2013 – recent unrest has resulted in the Trade Marks Office closing indefinitely. The Patents Office remains open as it is completely separate to the Trade Marks Office. The Patents Office is located at the Industrial Research Centre, which is run by government officials."