PATENTS
Bahrain Patent Overview
Bahrain has been a Contracting Party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property since October 29, 1997. It has also been a Contracting Party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) since March 18, 2007. In addition, it is a party to the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure and the Patent Law Treaty (PLT). Bahrain is also a member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). Bahrain has neither an Online Register nor an Online Gazette.
Registration Requirements
Power of attorney
An extract from the Commercial Register of from the Memorandum of Association if the application is a company
One copy of the English specification and claims together with its Arabic translation
One set of the drawings relation to the invention, if any
Registration Process
A novelty examination takes into consideration any specification previously lodged with the Patent Office or any patent previously registered. The Patent Office may require whatever amendments it deems necessary to bring the application into conformity with the law. In case the applicant does not comply with the requirements of the Patent Office as authorized by the Registrar of Patents, the Registrar will reject the application.
In case of rejection, an applicant is entitled to appeal against the requirements and conditions of the Patent Office by means of submitting a petition to the Patent Office, within 30 days as of the date of the Registrar’s decision. Approved applications are published in the Official Gazette and are rendered open to public inspection.
Duration
The term of protection of Patents is 20 years from filing date or from priority date if priority is claimed
TRADEMARKS
Bahrain Trademark Overview
The Kingdom of Bahrain is a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Starting June 2007, claiming priority has become possible. The International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks under the Nice Agreement is followed in Bahrain and the revision of class 42 with the creation of classes 43 to 45 has been adopted as of July 1, 2005. A separate application is to be filed for each class of goods or services
Registration Process
Once a trade/service mark application is filed, the trademark is examined as to its registrability. Trademark applications accepted by the Registrar are published in the Official Gazette. There is a 60-day period open for filing an opposition by any interested party.
An opposition to the registration of a trademark should be prosecuted before the Registrar by an authorized agent or the proprietors themselves within the prescribed period as of the date of publication. Such an opposition case should be settled by the Registrar. In the absence of an opposition, a published trademark is registered, and the certificate of registration will be issued.
Trademark rights are acquired by registration. However, a trademark application can be opposed successfully upon producing sufficient proof of the prior use of the mark in Bahrain and elsewhere in the world.
Duration
A trademark registration is valid for 10 years as of the date of filing the application, and it can be renewed for periods of 10 years each. The trademark law provides for a 6-month grace period for late renewal of a trademark