Egypt – Trademarks

Convention Priority: Yes

Classification of Goods/Service: International (10th edition)

Multiple Class Applications: N/A

Procedure: Once the application is filed, it is queued to be examined as to trademark registrability. Accepted applications by the Registrar are published in the Official Gazette. There is 2 months period for filing an opposition by any interested party. In the absence of an opposition, the published trademark is registered, and the certificate of registration is issued.

Registration Validity: 10 years, renewable for other consecutive periods, each of which is 10 years.

Renewal Time: Application for Renewal should be submitted prior to expiry date. Late renewal can also be submitted within six months as of the termination of the protection period.

Trade/Service mark Use: Not pre-requisite for registration. However, a trademark is vulnerable for cancellation by any interested party, who may prove that the trademark was not actually used during the five years preceding the application for cancellation.

---

Requirements:

Trademark/Service Mark Applications

1. Power of attorney duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2. Ten prints of the mark.
3. Extract from commercial register, which should include the name, address, nationality, legal status and nature of business of the applicant, simple copy
4. Certified copy of the priority document, if priority is to be claimed.

* Documents in items 4 can be submitted within 3 months as of the filing date, Documents 1 and 3 can be submitted within 6 months from filing date.

Renewal of Trademark/Service Mark Registrations

1. Power of attorney duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2. Photo copy of the certificate of registration

Assignment Applications

1. Power of attorney by the Assignee duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2. Extract from commercial register of the assignee, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
3. Deed of assignment, signed by both parties and legalized up to the consulate of Egypt.
4. Name, address, nationality, legal status and nature of business of the assignee.

Change of Name/Address Applications

1. Power of attorney in the new name/ address duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2. Certificate of change of name/ address, legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.

License Applications

1. License agreement, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2. Power of attorney by the licensee legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
3. Extract of the entry of the licensee company in the commercial register, or a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation, legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
4. The name, address, nationality, and profession or nature of business of the licensee.

Egypt – Patents

Patent Protection Period: 20 years

Annuity Payments: Required one year upon the filing date, and can be paid any time before due date. Late settlement of annuities can be done upon payment of lateness fine.

From Filing to Grant: 3 years average

Convention Priority: Yes

Novelty: Absolute

Filing Language: Specifications, claim and drawings can be filed in English or French, and the same should be translated into Arabic. Abstract should be filed in English and should be translated into Arabic.

Procedure: Once the patent application is filed, it is queued to be examined by the Egyptian Patent Office with respect to compliance with formalities and patentability in accordance with the Egyptian Patent Law. Accepted applications are published in the Official Gazette. There is two months period for any interested party’s opposition. In absence of any opposition, the letters patent is issued.

PCT: Egypt is contracting state of PCT

Time Limit for Entering PCT National Phase: 30 months

Filing Requirements for Patent Application:

1. A Power of Attorney legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
2. A deed of assignment legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
3. The name, address, nationality and profession or nature of business of the applicant(s) and the inventor(s).
4. The specification in English or French for preparing the Arabic translation. The specification must be subdivided as follows:
5. A summary of the invention (abstract) in English and Arabic (about 100 words).
6. One set of the formal engineering drawings.
7. An extract of the entry of the applicant company in the commercial register, or a copy of the certificate of incorporation. The document in either form should be duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
8. A certified copy of the priority document must be submitted within three months, in case it is claimed.

Items 1, 2, and 7 must be available within 4 months from the filing date; otherwise the application will lapse irrevocably, and the specification in English or French must be filed with the application. The Arabic translation must be submitted within 6 months. Item 8 must be filed within 3 months from the filing date.

Filing Requirements for PCT National Phase Patent Applications:

1. A Power of Attorney legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
2. An extract of the entry of the applicant company in the commercial register, or a copy of the certificate of incorporation. The document in either form should be duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
3. Specifications in original language.
4. Specifications in English and Arabic.

Item 3 must be submitted at the time filing. The English and Arabic translations (item 4) may be submitted within a non-extendible 6-month period from filing date and document 3 and 4 within 4 months from the filing date.

Requirements for Assignment Applications

1- Power of Attorney by the Assignee, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2- Deed of Assignment, signed by both parties, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
3- Extract of the entry of the Assignee in the Commercial Register, or copy of the memorandum of association, if the Assignee is a company or body corporate, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.

Requirements for Change of Name/Address:

1- Power of Attorney in the new name/address, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2- Certificate proving the change of name/address, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.

Requirements for License Agreement:

1- Power of attorney executed by the licensee, duly legalized up the Consulate of Egypt.
2- License Agreement executed by both parties, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
3- Extract of the entry of the Licensee in the Commercial Register, or legalized copy of the memorandum of association, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.

Egypt – Designs

Design Protection Period: 10 years, renewable one time only for further period of 5 years
From Filing to Grant: 18-22 months
Convention Priority: Yes
Novelty: Absolute
Annuity: Not applicable.

Filing Requirements for Design Application:

1- Power of attorney duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
2- Certificate of incorporation, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.
3- 6 copies of the representations.
4- Brief separate illustration of the drawings.
5- Copy of priority document, if priority is claimed, certified.
6- Description of the design.
7- Deed of assignment from the inventor(s), duly legalized up to the Consulate of Egypt.

Items 3, 4 and 6 must be submitted at the time of filing. Document 7 may be submitted within 3 months from filing date. Documents 1, 2 and 5 may be submitted within 6 months from filing date.

Assignment Applications

1- A Power of Attorney signed by the assignee and legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
2- An extract of the entry of the assignee company in the commercial register, or a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
3- A legalized deed of assignment including the transfer of the ownership of the establishment which produces the goods for which the trademark is registered.
4- Name, address, nationality, legal status and profession or nature of business of the assignee.

License Applications

1- A Power of Attorney by the licensee and the licensor legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
2- An extract of the entry of the licensee company in the commercial register, or a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
3- A legalized license agreement by the Egyptian Consulate.

Change of Name/Address Applications

1- A Power of Attorney legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
2- A certified certificate of the change of name or address.