In a further move towards restoring its position as a regional patent office, the Gulf Cooperation Council Patent Office (GCCPO) has expanded its services to include Qatar, in addition to Bahrain and Kuwait. Applicants now have the option to designate BH, KW, and/or QA when filing a patent application with the GCCPO.
Once substantive examination is completed, the GCCPO will transfer the allowance to the designated national offices for publication, grant, and issuance. Despite each country’s accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty, applicants using the GCCPO route must file their applications with a 12-month period from the earliest claimed priority, as stipulated by the GCC Patent Law.
Pursuant to the regulations, filing, substantive examination and the first two annuities (2nd and 3rd years) are made to the GCCPO, while the remaining annuities, publication and grant fees are to be paid at the respective national patent offices. The process will result in a national patent protected and enforced in that country under its national laws and regulations.
The extension of GCCPO’s services to Qatar represents a significant step towards regional patent harmonization, facilitating inventors and businesses in securing patent rights within the Gulf region.
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