The Kuwaiti Patent Office has announced that it is now possible for applicants of design applications in the country to ask for the registration certificate of their designs.
By way of background, the Kuwaiti Patent Office has started publishing design applications in the country’s Official Gazette for over a year now. Applications are examined in the country as to form, local novelty, and industrial applicability. Examination is generally a systematic process whereby the Patent Office is expected to notify the applicant of any objections. The applicant is then required to respond with arguments and/or amendments to overcome the objections. Amendments and arguments may then be accepted or rejected, triggering further response, until a design is issued or the application is rejected and/or abandoned. Even though design applications accepted by the Patent Office are published in the Official Gazette, oppositions can only be filed before the Court. After publication, the certificate of registration will be issued upon request.
The main Features of Design Protection in Kuwait:
Protection Term: 10 years from filing date.
Applications with Multiple Figures: Admissible up to 50 figures.
Filing Requirements: (1) Power of Attorney, legalized, (2) 2 representations of the design, (3) Description of the design, (4) Certificate of incorporation, legalized, (5) Deed of assignment from the designer(s), legalized, (6) Copy of priority document, if priority is claimed, legalized. All the documents may be submitted within 3 months from the filing date.
Renewal: For one term of 5 years.