The Implementing Bylaws For The GCC Patent System (Law)

After more than 20 years of operations and dealing with the GCC patent applications, the Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in its 41st session held in January 5, 2021, approved set of amendments to the patent system (law) of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and the GCC Patent Office stopped accepting new applications from that date.

Four months later, the new GCC Patent Law was published in Official Gazette, No. 22 of April 11, 2021, and revealed some amendments or replacements of a number of articles. The most important was in the introduction of Article 1 (bis) and its various provisions wherein the GCC Patent Office may accept new patent filings at the request of one of the GCC national offices, as well as its examination. No patent will be granted without the approval of the requesting national office or offices, and in all cases, a GCC patent will only be enforced in the said country or countries,