Services 

Patents

Although, the Egyptian Patent law has not yet been amended to conform with the stipulation of the TRIPS (see library for full text of the present Patent Law and features of the new I.P. Law), the Egyptian Patent Office did apply the TRIPS regulations particularly as to the term of protection.

Although Term of protection according to the present Patent Law No 132 of 1949 , is 15 years which may be renewed for further five years upon complying with certain terms and term of protection of pharmaceutical inventions is 10 non renewable years wherein claims are only directed to the process rather than the product per se, the Egyptian Patent Office has adapted the stipulation of TRIPS agreement and is granting a term of 20 years for all patents. Pharmaceutical Patents are kept unexamined in what is called " Black Box " or " Mail Box " until the elapse of the transition period which will be ended on January 1, 2005.

Requirements:

1. Power of Attorney, duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul. (See Form and downloads)

2. Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register of the applicant Company , duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul. 

3. 2 copies of the English and Arabic complete specification , claims and abstract. 

4. Two sets of the formal drawings, with all references inserted in Arabic. 

5. Assignments of priority rights , duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul. (See Form and downloads) 

6. Priority document, in case of convention applications.

Documents should be filed with the application form or within the following terms:

• Items Nos. 1,2 & 5 within 4 months from filing date.

• Item No 6 within 3 months from filing date.

Trade Marks

Trade Marks are protected in Egypt by Trade Mark. Law No.57 of 1939 (see library for full text) . The main features of the said Law are in conformity with the TRIPS agreement.

Classification is identical with the International Classification (Nice), trade marks are registered in respect of goods as well as services. Separate application should be filed in each class.

Trade Marks are registered in Egypt for a term of 10 years and may be renewed for similar periods upon renewal of the said registration within the last year of the original period or within three months from the expiration date on payment of an additional fine.

For more information about Trade Marks in the New I.P. law, (see Library for new features of the New Trade Mark. Law in Egypt).

Requirement

1. Power of Attorney, legalized up to the Egyptian Consul. (See Forms and downloads).

2. Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register of the applicant Company , duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul.

3. Full particulars of the applicant and list of goods.

4. 12 prints of the mark and printing block.

Note : All documents should be filed with the application form or within six months thereafter.

Design & Industrial Models

Designs and Industrial models are protected in Egypt in accordance with Law No 132 of 1949 concerning Patents of Inventions and Design & Industrial Models.

An application, may include a number of designs and Models, on condition that this does not exceed fifty, provided they form altogether a homogeneous unit.

Period of Protection of Design in Egypt is 5years which may be renewed for further Two periods each of 5 years. Total Period of protection of design is 15 years.

Requirements:

1. Power of Attorney duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul . (See Forms and downloads).

2. Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register of the Applicant , duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul.

3. 3 sets of formal drawings or photos showing the Design.

4. Priority document, if applies.

Documents should be filed with the application form or within three months thereafter.

Copyright

The Copyright law in Egypt No 354 of 1954, amended in 1968 and 1975, was amended for the third time by the law No 38 in 1993 to cover explicitly the protection of computer programs. In 1994 it was amended for the fourth time to make the protection period applicable to computer software fifty years from the author’s date of decease, or from the publishing date if the author was a legal person. The law prohibits any copying, in full or partly, of the programs, or adaptation without the prior written authorization of the author or his legal representative. The legislator stipulated one exception in this concern which allows the legal owner of the program to make one copy for his own use in other words not for commercial use.

The Government of Egypt represented in The Ministry of Culture officials have increased anti-piracy activities through an Anti-Piracy permanent Office established to receive any complaint concerning piracy of computer software or infringement of trade marks.

Requirements:

1. Literal Works : 10 copies of the work. [The National Library of Egypt].

2. Artistic Work : five copies of the recorded work. [The Library of Arts].

3. Computer Software : Two copies of the Software [The Cabinet Information & Decision Support Center (IDSC)].

Renewal & Maintenance

Renewal is mainly divided into two categories namely, renewal of Trademarks and annuities of Patents, both are dealt with through our computer system. In both cases , we are sending renewal reminders well before the due date as a gratis service to remind our clients and associates of the important due dates.

Renewal of Trade Marks:

Renewal of trade marks in Egypt should be effected every 10 years. Although we do not have a complete data bases , however , we have already feed our system of trademarks due for renewal within the coming five years.

Renewal reminder normally sent 6 months before the due date and second reminder is sent on the due date.

Requirements

To effect renewal of trade mark registratoin, only Power of Attorney is needed. (see forms and downloads)

Patent Annuities:

Annuities are paid annually in Egypt starting from the second year. Filing date is the basic date for payment of the annuities. Annuities should be paid in due basic date or within six months thereafter.

Failure to pay the due annuity will result in abandonment of the patent / patent application.

There are no requirements to proceed with payment of annuities.

Domain Names

The Cabinet IDSC Information & Decision Support Center (IDSC) and the Supreme Council of Universities (FRCU) in collaboration with Egypt Telecom are cooperatively running the internet backbone in Egypt including registration of Domain names.

• The Supreme Council of Universities is the top-level domain authority in Egypt: [.eg].

• The EUN provides its services for [.edu.eg], [.sci.eg], [.eun.eg], and [.org.eg] subdomains.

• The Cabinet IDSC Information & Decision Support Center ( IDSC/RITSEC ) provides its services for the .gov.eg domain and com.eg subdomains (.com.eg in cooperation with the ISP's) Private sector gateways are providing connectivity services for the commercial sector as well.

Requirements

For registration of domain names under .com.eg

1. Only entities operating in Egypt can register their domain name in Egypt ( existence in Egypt ).

2. Registration of domain names in different subdomain will be made according to the activity of the organization.

3. Applicant must be private Sector organization having an existence in Egypt.

4. Application form showing the following details:

• Name of the applicant.

• Address of the applicant.

• Telephone and Fax number of the applicant. 

• Contact person.

• Technical contact person.

Technical & Legal Translation

It is compulsory to present an Arabic translation of any document written in a language other than the Arabic. Moreover, an Arabic translation of the complete specification of inventions are required for filing any patent application. Accordingly technical translation is quite essential and should be effected accurately and rapidly.

Legal translation is also required to translate all documents to be filed either with the Trade Mark Office or Patent Office.

Our staff is well adapted to meet these entire requirements since they have a different technical and legal background. Once the translation has been set, it is reviewed for correction of typographical and grammar errors.

While our charges are kept at a very reasonable rate, we provide a professional, confidential and cost-effective translation through our professional and freelance translators, typesetters, proofreaders and graphic designers who work exclusively for our office.