- African
The Egyptian patent system has many unique features, including: Egypt passed the Patent Law in 1999, replacing the original European patent system;
Egypt revised its Patent Law twice in 2008 and 2012, and passed the National Patent Act on September 12, 2015. The new law provides clear regulations on the examination procedures, examination cycles, and application fees for foreign patent applications.
In 2018, Egypt adopted the Protocol on the National Patent Authorization Procedure (hereinafter referred to as the "Protocol"), aligning the new Egyptian patent system with international treaties.
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Patent type and protection period
1. Invention patent: 20 years from the date of application
2. Utility model patent: 7 years from the date of application
3. Design patent: 15 years from the date of application -
Patent application pathway
1. Apply directly to the Egyptian Patent Office (for all three types of patents)
2. PCT pathway (invention patent, utility model patent)
3. Paris Convention pathway (all three types of patents are acceptable)
4. The Hague Agreement (limited to design patents only) -
Patent application language
Arabic
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Patent examination system and issuance cycle
1. Invention patents: formal examination and substantive examination; The average authorization time is 3 years. 2. Utility model patents are only examined for novelty and industrial utility; The average authorization time is 1-2 years. 3. Design patents: formal examination and substantive examination; The average authorization time is 18-24 months
