Saudi Arabia Approved as an International Search and Examination Authority

Saudi Arabia has taken a significant step towards enhancing its position on the Global Innovation Index (GII) and supporting the country’s Vision 2030. During the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO: Sixty-Fourth Series of Meetings, held in Geneva in July 2023, the unanimous approval was granted for Saudi Intellectual Property Authority (SAIP) to become an International Search Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examination Authority (IPEA).

As the authority responsible for filing, examining, and issuing Saudi patents, SAIP may now be designated as the ISA and IPEA. This designation empowers SAIP to provide the first search and report opinion on the patentability of applications filed through PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) and designating SAIP for these roles. Notably, Saudi Arabia becomes the second international search and examination authority to support the Arabic language. Consequently, applicants filing PCT applications, particularly from Arabic-speaking countries, can designate SAIP as the ISA.