A draft Patent Law was approved by the Lebanese Minister of Economy and will be published in the upcoming edition of the Official Gazette. The draft law will be officially adopted by the upcoming Cabinet session.
The new patent law will be enforceable on publication in the official gazette. As compared to the current law, the law is more comprehensive, has more scope, is more organized and encompasses latest developments in the patent field. Below are the main points:
1) The General Provisions
Articles 1 & 2 provide for a wider concept for protectable patents involving novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability.
Article 5 extends the protection period from 15 years to 20 years.
