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Find out moreThe first Law Update of 2024 is here, and our first focus of the year spotlights Healthcare and Lifesciences, a sector that is undergoing significant growth and development across the MENA region.
Our focus provides an insight into some of the most important regulatory updates across the region, such as the UAE’s groundbreaking law on the use of human genome, Kuwait’s resolution on nuclear and radioactive materials, the new regulations for healthcare services in Qatar, Egypt’s healthcare regulatory framework, and the impact of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law on the healthcare and life sciences sector … and there is so much more!
Beyond the healthcare pages our lawyers share with you multi-sector insights where you will discover articles on Dubai’s DIFC regulatory framework for startups, Bahrain’s commercial agencies law, and we also shed light on Kuwaiti civil code and the advantages of setting up a joint stock company in Saudi Arabia.
Read the full editionStephen Jiew - Senior Associate - Intellectual Property
The Saudi Arabia Department of Official Gazette and Trademark Offices have announced that there will be stricter enforcement of regulatory guidelines regarding the filing of Power of Attorneys as follows:-
The Trademark Office will require all new trademark applications filed from 1 January 2012 on behalf of foreign companies be accompanied by (a) an original Power of Attorney or (b) a copy of a Power of Attorney where the original Power of Attorney must be presented for sighting by the Trademark Office.
The Power of Attorney must bear a date less than 10 years from the date of execution thereof.
Practical Considerations
Currently, a mere copy of a Power of Attorney is sufficient. This means that foreign applicants may file trademark applications using a faxed or scanned copy of a duly legalized Power of Attorney. In 2012, foreign applicants would need to ensure that they have an original duly legalized Power of Attorney in place with their trademark attorneys in Saudi Arabia to lodge a trademark application.
Foreign applicants wishing to file trademark applications in Saudi Arabia in 2012 must ensure that their Power of Attorney documents authorizing their trademark attorneys in Saudi Arabia are less than 10 years old.
As these Power of Attorney documents must be legalized, which can be a time consuming process, foreign applicants are well advised to make sure that they have an updated Power of Attorney in preparation for compliance with these new rules in 2012.
There is no provision for late filing of the Power of Attorney. Hence, for applicants wishing to claim Convention priority, it is imperative that they have an updated Power of Attorney in hand for timely filing of trademark applications in 2012.
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