Summary

Summary of the Designs and Industrial Models Registration System

Designs and industrial models are protectable in Egypt through registration with the competent office. The international Classification of Designs is effective in Egypt. A registration is effected without any novelty examination at the applicant's responsibility and secret filing of models/designs are not possible.

A design or an industrial model registration is valid for five years starting from the date of filing the application. A registration can be renewed for two similar periods of five years each.

A registration of a design or an industrial model is subject to cancellation in the event any interested party requests such a cancellation before the competent tribunal on the grounds that the subject design or industrial model was not novel at the time of filing the relevant application. The registration, assignment and cancellation of design and industrial model registrations are published in the Official Gazette and entered in the register.

There is no provision in the current Egyptian law as to compulsory working or licensing with respect to designs and industrial models.

Any infringement or unauthorized use of a registered design or industrial model is punishable under the current law.

Every arrangement of line and every embodiment with or without colors, if it is distinctively novel and applicable for industrial use, shall be considered an industrial design or model.

The applicant may petition against the said decision within a period of not more than thirty days from the day of notification thereof.

The Administration may demand that the applicant fulfills the modifications or requirements that the Administration deems necessary; and if the applicant does not fulfill such requirements, the applicant shall be considered abandoning his application.

The applicant may petition against the decision of the Administration within thirty days of being notified of the decision, in accordance with the procedures defined by the executive regulations of the law herein.

The applicant may apply, on his own initiative, to the Administration with the aforementioned modifications or requirements.

The period of protection resulting from the registration of the industrial design or model shall be ten years starting from the date of the application for the registration in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

 The protection shall be renewed for an additional term of five years, if the owner of the design or model files an application for renewal during the last year of the protection period.

However, the owner has the right to file a renewal application within three months following the expiry date of the protection period; otherwise the Administration cancels the registration on its own initiative.

The Administration shall publish the decisions of registration, renewal and cancellation in the Trademarks and Industrial Designs and Models Gazette.

Requirements

DESIGNS

Filing a Design Application

The following are required for filing an application:

1. A legalized Power of Attorney.
2. Two representations of the design or model.
3. A certified copy of the certificate of incorporation.
4. A certified copy of the priority document for claiming priority.

Duration

The registration is valid for 5 years from the date of filing the application. It is renewable for two similar periods.

Examination

Examination is normally restricted to form only.

1)  4 copies of the design and a sample of the design (if possible)

2)  The Articles of Incorporation or the Commercial Register of the company, in whose name the design will be registered, legalized by the Egyptian Consulate at your end.

3)  The number of designs required to be registered and the products for which they will be used (if possible).

4)  If the design has been registered abroad, a copy of the registration certificate and a copy of the registered design certified by the Industrial property Authority in the country of registration and legalized by the Egyptian Consulate at your end.

5)  A Power of Attorney issued by the applicant in our favour and legalized by the Egyptian Consulate at your end.

* Please note that all documents must be translated into Arabic language. In-house translation is available to our clients. Price of translation is based on the language of the documents.

* Please note that all documents legalized by the Egyptian Consulate at your end must thereafter be certified by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo at a price to be calculated according to the number of pages.

Requirements:

1.  Power of Attorney duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul.

2.  Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register of the Applicant, duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consul.

3.  Three sets of formal drawings or photos showing the Design.

4.  Priority document, if applies.

Documents should be filed with the application form or within three months thereafter.

Design Applications

1. A power of attorney legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
2. Four representations (photographs or drawings) of the design or model on good quality paper; size 33 x 21 cm.
3. A legalized extract of the entry of the applicant company in the Commercial Register or a legalized copy of the certificate of incorporation; which includes the name, address, nationality, legal status and profession or nature of business of the applicant.
4. A certified copy of the priority document for a convention application.

All documents must be available within three months from the filing date.

Assignment Applications

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

In addition to the above, for patent applications, the applicant company must submit an extract from the Commercial Register or the certificate of incorporation, legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.

License Applications

1. A legalized license agreement by the Egyptian Consulate.
2. A power of attorney by the licensee and licensor legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
3. A certified extract of the entry of the licensee company in the commercial register, or a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation.
4. The name, address, nationality, and profession or nature of business of the licensee.

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.