Chairman's Message Introduction Treaties & Conventions Algeria
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INDEX Page Chairman’s Message 01 Introduction 02 Treaties & Conventions 03 Algeria 04 Bahrain 05 Egypt 06 GCC Patent Office 07 Iraq 08 Jordan 09 Kuwait 10 Lebanon 11 Libya 12 Morocco 13 Oman 14 Pakistan 15 Palestine (Gaza & West Bank) 16 Qatar 17 Saudi Arabia 18 Sudan 19 Syria 20 Tunisia 21 Turkey 22 United Arab Emirates 23 Yemen 24 Liaison Offices Africa liaison office 25 Asia liaison office 26 East Europe liaison office 27 Latin America liaison office 28 Industrialized liaison office 29 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Dear Clients, Colleagues, Associates and Friends, international organizations, including the WIPO and the WTO, with NGOs such as the INTA, AIPPI, FICPI It brings me great pleasure to provide you with and with our funding of Arab NGOs, such as the the latest edition of the Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Arab Society for Intellectual Property (ASIP) and Property Handbook. This year, the Handbook will the Licensing Executives Society-Arab Countries be made available to you electronically on our (LES-AC). interactive website. AGIP has organized and sponsored, in coordination We will continuously monitor and research the with WIPO, ASPIP and WTO, relevant training for globe to provide you with the most complete, members of the judiciary and also for district comprehensive and up-to-date information on attorneys in various Arab countries. AGIP has also intellectual property regulations. provided ASIP with experts to help draft new, better IP laws for a number of Arab states. We Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property has been meeting are also proud to have assisted in the publication the IP needs of distinguished international clients of numerous ground-breaking reference works on regionally and globally for nearly three decades. Over intellectual property in the Arab world, including the this period, we have grown into a truly international compilation of an English translation of all the Arab firm. AGIP now has 18 offices in the Arab countries intellectual property laws and the publishing of a in addition to Turkey, Pakistan and India, to provide major intellectual property dictionary in Arabic. complete coverage of the region, as well as an extensive network of international correspondents Our goal is two-fold: to help provide our clients the ensuring that we are able to serve our clients protection their efforts deserve, and to help further on a global level. Throughout this growth, AGIP the advancement of the Arab people. To this end, has maintained its unwavering commitment to its we greatly appreciate your continued business and mission of providing clients with the best quality the relationships we have developed over the last service available, in the field of intellectual property quarter of a century. I assure you that we shall protection in the Arab World. continue to do our utmost in providing you with the highest level of service. AGIP firmly believes that it is only through strong protection of intellectual property rights, that the Please visit our continually updated website region can truly develop to create the dynamic, (www.agip.com), for a wealth of information in the innovative business environment that will contribute field of Intellectual Property. I’m sure you will find to sustainable economic progress and development, it to be a most valuable tool as you seek the best real GNP growth and increased social welfare. protection for your work. This commitment to intellectual property protection, comes to life as part of continued involvement with Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Copyright ©2004 Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property 1 / 1 INTRODUCTION Company Profile Establishment Progress and Technology When Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) was AGIP can now not only boast at being the largest established, as TMP Agents in 1972 in Kuwait, we IP firm in the region with 18 offices in the Arab knew that we were facing a considerable challenge. countries and a network of associates that are the Intellectual property protection in the region was still equal of any firm in the world, but also at the in its early stages of development. However, since fact that our advice and encouragement to the then we at Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property, have governments of the region have frequently played a devoted our efforts to promoting the importance of significant role in the introduction of new laws. IP protection throughout the Arab countries. The new millennium challenges have been met We have encouraged the introduction of IP laws by AGIP. In addition to having an internal server and an efficient IP system that has introduced two connecting all of our offices, we were the first significant changes to the region. Firstly, with the in the region to connect to the Internet directly new legislation, major multinational corporations through an HDSL (High data rate Digital Subscriber have been given the confidence to expand to the Line). This is the latest technology for high-speed region, because they are now assured of protection broadband access. for their products. Secondly, the creative individuals of the Arab world such as Arab architects, artists, This will allow us to have a sustained baud rate designers, computer scientists, musicians and writers (speed), with secure and fast connectivity and are now granted protection for their products that almost no disconnection time. Besides HDSL, we will ensures their hard work is properly rewarded. keep our old cable leased line as backup. As the years have passed, we have been hugely AGIP, through its mother company, Talal Abu- successful in achieving the goals we initially set for Ghazaleh Organization (TAGO), is a member of the ourselves, and today we look around the region and Business Constituency (BC) of the Generic Names are proud of the comprehensive developments that Supporting Organization (GNSO) of the Internet we have helped achieve in the field of IP. Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). One of our contributions, of which we take pride, at AGIP, is our assistance and continued support Domain name registrations are becoming a vital provided to governmental committees and officials, aspect of all international activities within the charged with revising and drafting new laws and Electronic Sphere. The web presence for each regulations, for the enforcement of intellectual company requires these registrations, which AGIP property rights. Our participation in this field has fulfilled throughout its offices. aims to ensure adequate methods of protection for intellectual property rights. Copyright ©2004 Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property 2 / 1 Services Operating from our central headquarters in the lead to any offending marks or getups, a detailed Jordanian capital of Amman, AGIP is dedicated to report including our suggestions will be provided. In providing excellence in the quality of services it the event that you wish to take action, experienced renders, the quality of people it employs and the Intellectual Property Attorneys will assist you in ethical and professional approach it adopts. formulating an appropriate response. We have added to our services the registration of AGIP also provides a free Trademark Watch Service. domain names and their maintenance. Through continuous screening of the official gazettes of the Arab countries, we are able to find trademarks Our goal, to help establish protection for owners similar or identical to those of our clients at which of intellectual property rights, has ensured that we point an opposition is lodged. provide a wide range of services such as: Our licensing and franchising services are provided Trademark, patent, copyright and design for regional and international clients in all Arab registrations. countries. The section is engaged in drafting Domain name registration and renewals. licensing and franchising agreements along with Advice on assignments, licensing and technology legal consultations on the compatibility of such transfers. agreements with the Arab laws, mediation and Advisory services on intellectual property litigation. At the same time, our lawyers provide protection. clients with assistance in every step of the negotia- Translation of intellectual property related tion process. documents. Research and investigation. As a member of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization Maintenance of IP rights through renewals (TAGO), our licensing department has access to a and annuities. database made up of thousands of clients across the Publication of Cautionary and Patent working Arab Countries and around the world, providing us notices. with the capabilities to find the right partners for Trademark Watch Service . each licensing and franchising venture. Infringement and Counterfeiting Actions. Opposition Actions. For all companies expanding into a new market, the Cancellation Actions. most important stage of the process is preparation. Appeal Actions. The Arab Countries are a complex region where the Technology Agreements. differences between each country are as common as Licensing and Franchising Agreements. the similarities. AGIP therefore works in collaboration Legal Translations. with its sister company Talal Abu-Ghazaleh & Co. International (TAGI), performing market research We operate a Trademark Infringement Service, and feasibility studies to ensure that our clients’ whereby the local markets are intensively searched concepts and business methods are suitable for for registered and unregistered labels imitating the Arab market. those of our clients. If the comprehensive searches Copyright ©2004