United Arab Emirates (AE) |
| Read term notes | |
| Current term: | 15 Years |
| From: | Date of Application |
| Discontinuity Dates: | No |
| Term Notes: | A utility certificate is valid for ten years from the date of application. Patents granted for the processes of producing pharmaceuticals, medical drugs or foodstuff are non renewable after the ten years. |
| Extension Possible: | Yes A patent can be extended for a period of five years. |
| Member of PCT: | Yes (10/03/1999) |
| Region: | (Not Applicable) |
| Country Notes: | The United Arab Emirates was formed in 1971 by the union of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sarjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah.
The UAE's Ministry of Finance and Industry has signed an agreement with the Austrian Patent Office regarding the examination of patent applications. As yet, no patents have been granted by the UAE Patent Office. |
| Current Law: | Patents and Design Law (Federal Law No. 44 for the Year 1992) |
| Effective From: | 12/01/1993 |
| Current Rules: | Implementing Regulations |
| Effective From: | 29/05/1993 |
| Law Notes: | A meeting was held on 29/01/2000 to discuss amendments to the GCC Patent Law which was approved in November 1999. When effective, it will allow duplication between GCC patent applications and counterpart national applications in any of the GCC countries. This would also allow PCT applications, filed, for example, in the United Arab Emirates, to be filed also with the GCC Patent Office. Other amendments to the law will include protection from the date of filing rather than the grant date, the claiming of priority and use of the patent within three years of grant.
07/04/2004 UPDATE: The Patent Law has recently been amended, the main changes including (1) a patent term of 20 years from the filing date (2) patent protection for medicines or pharmaceuticals from 2005 and (3) payment of annual fees on the anniversary of the filing date to keep applications and patents in force. |
| Database Coverage | |
| Derwent WPI: | No |
| INPADOC: | No |