KUWAIT
May 17, 2016
Pursuant to an unexpected decision, and shortly after Kuwait's Council of Ministers voted and published on March 27, 2016 a new law, Law no. 11/2016, which paves the way for the country's accession to the PCT, the Kuwaiti Patent Office has decided to stop accepting patent applications.
All applications will have to be filed before the GCC patent office if protection in Kuwait is desired. In relation to trademarks, substantial procedural changes took effect a few months ago. The following may be highlighted: Opposition period will be of 60 days as of the publication; a legalized Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Registry will have to be submitted with a trademark application; also, renewals, assignments or changes of address/local associate will be published.