Libya's Unconventional Trademark Practice Changes
Two main updates took place recently in Libya: 1. Revocation of Trademark applications filed during the suspension period between April 2, 2024 and September 2, 2024. As a result: a) All acceptance notices issued during the closure period have been withdrawn and b) Appeals against rejected applications, which were previously denied due to conflicts with trademarks filed during the suspension period, are now accepted. Trademark owners will need to reassess their legal positions and may need to reapply.
Saudi Arabia Joins the Hague System for International Registration of Industrial Designs
The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) announced today its accession to the Hague Convention for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. The Hague System provides a simplified process for obtaining design protection and allows design protection to be secured simultaneously in multiple countries or regions through a single international application and in one language with a single set of fees.
Iraq TMO Adopts 11th Edition of the Nice International Classification
The Iraqi Trademark Office has announced that it will adopt the 11th Edition of the Nice International Classification, effective January 14, 2025. All new trademark applications will be subject to this classification. Official fees will not be changed at this stage. The TMO will adjust the current official fees to the Nice Classification by replacing the subclass in the old local classification with the item code of the Nice Classification. This means the charges will vary according to the number of item codes covered by each trademark.
Update to Trademark Application Process in Yemen
Applicants can now include an unlimited number of goods or services in a single application, eliminating the previous limit of 10 items. However, a new fee applies for listing more than 10 items. Each additional item will incur a charge of 5% of the official publication fee. This update aims to streamline the trademark process for businesses and individuals. Applicants are encouraged to review the filing strategies to take advantage of these changes.
Trademark Registrations Increased By 39.12% in the UAE
The UAE Ministry of Economy recently released an update on the performance of the UAE's IP sector, showing that there has been a significant uptick in IP registrations in the first nine months of 2024, with the total volume of IP registrations increasing by 34%.
OBWB ATTENDING TMAP
With TMAP just around the corner, the firm is pleased to announce the participation of two members of our trademark team. Dionne Heard and Sherri Higgins look forward to meeting with fellow TMAP participants in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
OBWB Team Attends #INTA2024
An international team of eight OBWB members attended the 2024 INTA conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The firm hosted a hospitality suite during the conference, and in collaboration with the Zhejiang government, we manned a booth in the exhibition hall.
OBWB @ #INTA2024
Our OBWB team looks forward to connecting with colleagues at INTA 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. We welcome you to visit us at our hospitality suite in the Georgia World Congress Center.
Motasem Abu Ghazaleh Elected to The Gulf Brand Protection Group Board of Directors
Congratulations to Motasem Abu Ghazaleh, OBWB's Global Trademark Manager on his election to the board of directors of the Gulf Brand Protection Group (BPG). The Gulf Brand Protection Group is a leading organization in the region dedicated to protecting brand owners' interests. OBWB's presence on the board will further strengthen BPG's ability to advocate for and protect intellectual property rights in the Gulf.
OBWB Excited to Attend INTA's TMAP event in Denver, Colorado!
We're looking forward to participating at INTA's upcoming 2023 Trademark Administrators & Practitioners (TMAP) Meeting, slated to be held October 1-3 in Denver, Colorado.
